The consensus algorithm process involves several key components, including durability, which is the main reason for using a consensus system. The leader election process is complex and separates concerns such as establishment, revocation, forward progress, race handling, and propagation of requests. Traditional algorithms like Paxos and Raft conflate too many concerns, making it difficult to modify or replace individual parts without breaking the entire algorithm. A new approach focuses on establishing and revoking leadership through separate actions, which can be performed individually and are not necessarily atomic. Proposal numbers are used in traditional algorithms to establish leadership, but alternative methods such as replication mechanisms can also be used. The current leader's identity may not always be known, requiring additional considerations for revocation. Different algorithms can be interchangeable, and other approaches to establishing and revoking leadership exist, including physically shutting down a machine if necessary.