diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index beab2b7c3c..65bd3eb124 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -927,19 +927,6 @@ jobs:
           path: *TEST_RESULTS_DIR
       - run: *notify-slack-failure
 
-  # only runs on main: checks latest commit to see if the PR associated has a backport/* or docs* label to cherry-pick
-  cherry-picker:
-    docker:
-      - image: docker.mirror.hashicorp.services/alpine:3.12
-    steps:
-      - run: apk add --no-cache --no-progress git bash curl ncurses jq openssh-client
-      - checkout
-      - add_ssh_keys: # needs a key to push cherry-picked commits back to github
-          fingerprints:
-            - "fc:55:84:15:0a:1d:c8:e9:06:d0:e8:9c:7b:a9:b7:31"
-      - run: .circleci/scripts/cherry-picker.sh
-      - run: *notify-slack-failure
-
   trigger-oss-merge:
     docker:
       - image: docker.mirror.hashicorp.services/alpine:3.12
@@ -1202,13 +1189,7 @@ workflows:
               only:
                 - main
                 - /release\/\d+\.\d+\.x$/
-      - cherry-picker:
-          context: team-consul
-          filters:
-            branches:
-              only:
-                - main
-                - /release\/\d+\.\d+\.x$/
+
   load-test:
     when: << pipeline.parameters.trigger-load-test >>
     jobs:
diff --git a/.circleci/scripts/cherry-picker.sh b/.circleci/scripts/cherry-picker.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 18c2ec4a80..0000000000
--- a/.circleci/scripts/cherry-picker.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,195 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env bash
-#
-# This script is meant to run on every new commit to main in CircleCI. If the commit comes from a PR, it will
-# check the PR associated with the commit for labels. If the label matches `docs*` it will be cherry-picked
-# to stable-website. If the label matches `backport/*`, it will be cherry-picked to the appropriate `release/*`
-# branch.
-
-# Requires $CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME, $CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME, and $CIRCLE_SHA1 from CircleCI
-
-set -o pipefail
-
-# colorized status prompt
-function status {
-    tput setaf 4
-    echo "$@"
-    tput sgr0
-}
-
-# Returns the latest GitHub "backport/*" label
-function get_latest_backport_label {
-    local resp
-    local ret
-    local latest_backport_label
-
-    resp=$(curl -f -s -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" "https://api.github.com/repos/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME}/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}/labels?per_page=100")
-    ret="$?"
-    if [[ "$ret" -ne 0 ]]; then
-        status "The GitHub API returned $ret which means it was probably rate limited."
-        exit $ret
-    fi
-
-    latest_backport_label=$(echo "$resp" | jq -r '.[] | select(.name | startswith("backport/")) | .name' | sort -rV | head -n1)
-    echo "$latest_backport_label"
-    return 0
-}
-
-# This function will do the cherry-picking of a commit on a branch
-# Exit 1 if cherry-picking fails
-function cherry_pick_with_slack_notification {
-    # Arguments:
-    #   $1 - branch to cherry-pick to
-    #   $2 - commit to cherry-pick
-    #   $3 - url to PR of commit
-    #
-    # Return:
-    #   0 for success
-    #   1 for error
-
-    local branch="$1"
-    local commit="$2"
-    local pr_url="$3"
-
-    git checkout "$branch" || exit 1
-    # If git cherry-pick fails or it fails to push, we send a failure notification
-    if ! (git cherry-pick --mainline 1 "$commit" && git push origin "$branch"); then
-        status "🍒❌ Cherry pick of commit ${commit:0:7} from $pr_url onto $branch failed!"
-
-        # send slack notification
-        curl -X POST -H 'Content-type: application/json' \
-        --data \
-        "{ \
-        \"attachments\": [ \
-            { \
-            \"fallback\": \"Cherry pick failed!\", \
-            \"text\": \"🍒❌ Cherry picking of <$pr_url|${commit:0:7}> to \`$branch\` failed!\n\nBuild Log: ${CIRCLE_BUILD_URL}\", \
-            \"footer\": \"${CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME}/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}\", \
-            \"ts\": \"$(date +%s)\", \
-            \"color\": \"danger\" \
-            } \
-        ] \
-        }" "${CONSUL_SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL}"
-
-        # post PR comment to GitHub
-        github_message=":cherries::x: Cherry pick of commit ${commit} onto \`$branch\` failed! [Build Log]($CIRCLE_BUILD_URL)"
-        pr_id=$(basename ${pr_url})
-        curl -f -s -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" \
-             -X POST \
-             -d "{ \"body\": \"${github_message}\"}" \
-             "https://api.github.com/repos/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME}/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}/issues/${pr_id}/comments"
-
-        # run git status to leave error in CircleCI log
-        git status
-        return 1
-
-    # Else we send a success notification
-    else
-        status "🍒✅ Cherry picking of PR commit ${commit:0:7} from ${pr_url} succeeded!"
-        curl -X POST -H 'Content-type: application/json' \
-        --data \
-        "{ \
-        \"attachments\": [ \
-            { \
-            \"fallback\": \"Cherry pick succeeded!\", \
-            \"text\": \"🍒✅ Cherry picking of <$pr_url|${commit:0:7}> to \`$branch\` succeeded!\", \
-            \"footer\": \"${CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME}/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}\", \
-            \"ts\": \"$(date +%s)\", \
-            \"color\": \"good\" \
-            } \
-        ] \
-        }" "${CONSUL_SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL}"
-
-        # post PR comment to GitHub
-        github_message=":cherries::white_check_mark: Cherry pick of commit ${commit} onto \`$branch\` succeeded!"
-        pr_id=$(basename ${pr_url})
-        curl -f -s -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" \
-             -X POST \
-             -d "{ \"body\": \"${github_message}\"}" \
-             "https://api.github.com/repos/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME}/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}/issues/${pr_id}/comments"
-    fi
-
-    return 0
-}
-
-# search for the PR labels applicable to the specified commit
-resp=$(curl -f -s -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" "https://api.github.com/search/issues?q=repo:${CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME}/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}+sha:${CIRCLE_SHA1}")
-ret="$?"
-if [[ "$ret" -ne 0 ]]; then
-    status "The GitHub API returned $ret which means it was probably rate limited."
-    exit $ret
-fi
-
-# get the count from the GitHub API to check if the commit matched a PR
-count=$(echo "$resp" | jq '.total_count')
-if [[ "$count" -eq 0 ]]; then
-    status "This commit was not associated with a PR"
-    exit 0
-fi
-
-# save PR number
-pr_number=$(echo "$resp" | jq '.items[].number')
-
-# comment on the PR with the build number to make it easy to re-run the job when
-# cherry-pick labels are added in the future
-github_message=":cherries: If backport labels were added before merging, cherry-picking will start automatically.\n\nTo retroactively trigger a backport after merging, add backport labels and re-run ${CIRCLE_BUILD_URL}."
-curl -f -s -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" \
-    -X POST \
-    -d "{ \"body\": \"${github_message}\"}" \
-    "https://api.github.com/repos/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME}/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}/issues/${pr_number}/comments"
-
-
-
-# If the API returned a non-zero count, we have found a PR with that commit so we find
-# the labels from the PR
-
-# Sorts the labels from a PR via version sort
-labels=$(echo "$resp" | jq --raw-output '.items[].labels[] | .name' | sort -rV)
-ret="$?"
-pr_url=$(echo "$resp" | jq --raw-output '.items[].pull_request.html_url')
-if [[ "$ret" -ne 0 ]]; then
-    status "jq exited with $ret when trying to find label names. Are there labels applied to the PR ($pr_url)?"
-    # This can be a valid error but usually this means we do not have any labels so it doesn't signal
-    # cherry-picking is possible. Exit 0 for now unless we run into cases where these failures are important.
-    exit 0
-fi
-
-# Attach label for latest release branch if 'docs-cherrypick' is present. Will noop if already applied.
-latest_backport_label=$(get_latest_backport_label)
-status "latest backport label is $latest_backport_label"
-if echo "$resp" | jq -e '.items[].labels[] | select(.name | contains("docs-cherrypick"))'; then
-    labels=$(curl -f -s -H "Authorization: token ${GITHUB_TOKEN}" -X POST -d "{\"labels\":[\"$latest_backport_label\"]}" "https://api.github.com/repos/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_USERNAME}/${CIRCLE_PROJECT_REPONAME}/issues/${pr_number}/labels" | jq --raw-output '.[].name' | sort -rV)
-    ret="$?"
-    if [[ "$ret" -ne 0 ]]; then
-        status "Error applying $latest_backport_label to $pr_url"
-        exit $ret
-    fi
-fi
-
-git config --local user.email "github-team-consul-core@hashicorp.com"
-git config --local user.name "hc-github-team-consul-core"
-
-backport_failures=0
-# loop through all labels on the PR
-for label in $labels; do
-    status "checking label: $label"
-    # if the label matches docs-cherrypick, it will attempt to cherry-pick to stable-website
-    if [[ $label =~ docs-cherrypick ]]; then
-        status "backporting to stable-website"
-        branch="stable-website"
-        cherry_pick_with_slack_notification "$branch" "$CIRCLE_SHA1" "$pr_url"
-        backport_failures=$((backport_failures + "$?"))
-    # else if the label matches backport/*, it will attempt to cherry-pick to the release branch
-    elif [[ $label =~ backport/* ]]; then
-        status "backporting to $label"
-        branch="${label/backport/release}.x"
-        cherry_pick_with_slack_notification "$branch" "$CIRCLE_SHA1" "$pr_url"
-        backport_failures=$((backport_failures + "$?"))
-    fi
-    # reset the working directory for the next label
-    git reset --hard
-done
-
-if [ "$backport_failures" -ne 0 ]; then
-    echo "$backport_failures backports failed"
-    exit 1
-fi
diff --git a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
index c2b2b9b052..131d9057d2 100644
--- a/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -156,12 +156,25 @@ When you're ready to submit a pull request:
    if your changes aren't finalized but would benefit from in-process feedback.
 5. If there's any reason Consul users might need to know about this change,
    [add a changelog entry](../docs/contributing/add-a-changelog-entry.md).
-6. After you submit, the Consul maintainers team needs time to carefully review your
+6. Add labels to your pull request. A table of commonly use labels is below. 
+   If you have any questions about which to apply, feel free to call it out in the PR or comments.
+   | Label | When to Use |
+   | --- | --- |
+   | `pr/no-changelog` | This PR does not have an intended changelog entry |
+   | `pr/no-metrics-test` | This PR does not require any testing for metrics |
+   | `backport/stable-website` | This PR contains documentation changes that are ready to be deployed immediately. Changes will also automatically get backported to the latest release branch |
+   | `backport/1.12.x` | Backport the changes in this PR to the targeted release branch. Consult the [Consul Release Notes](https://www.consul.io/docs/release-notes) page to view active releases. |
+   Other labels may automatically be added by the Github Action CI.
+7. After you submit, the Consul maintainers team needs time to carefully review your
    contribution and ensure it is production-ready, considering factors such as: security,
    backwards-compatibility, potential regressions, etc.
-7. After you address Consul maintainer feedback and the PR is approved, a Consul maintainer
+8. After you address Consul maintainer feedback and the PR is approved, a Consul maintainer
    will merge it. Your contribution will be available from the next major release (e.g., 1.x)
    unless explicitly backported to an existing or previous major release by the maintainer.
+9. Any backport labels will generate an additional PR to the targeted release branch. 
+   These will be linked in the original PR.
+   Assuming the tests pass, the PR will be merged automatically. 
+   If the tests fail, it is you responsibility to resolve the issues with backports and request another reviewer.
 
 #### Checklists
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/backport-assistant.yml b/.github/workflows/backport-assistant.yml
index 91a9cf6ad4..92ab86cd66 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backport-assistant.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backport-assistant.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ on:
     types:
       - closed
       - labeled
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - 'releases/*.*.x'
 
 jobs:
   backport:
@@ -16,17 +19,33 @@ jobs:
     container: hashicorpdev/backport-assistant:0.2.3
     steps:
       - name: Run Backport Assistant for stable-website
-        # Update this to auto-merge when we have confidence in the process working and kill Circle
         run: |
-          backport-assistant backport -merge-method=rebase
+          backport-assistant backport -merge-method=rebase -auto-merge
         env:
           BACKPORT_LABEL_REGEXP: "type/docs-(?P<target>cherrypick)"
           BACKPORT_TARGET_TEMPLATE: "stable-website"
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.ELEVATED_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
-      - name: Run Backport Assistant for release branches
-        # Update this to auto-merge when we have confidence in the process working and kill Circle
+      - name: Backport changes to latest release branch
         run: |
-          backport-assistant backport -merge-method=rebase
+          resp=$(curl -f -s "https://api.github.com/repos/$GITHUB_REPOSITORY/labels?per_page=100")
+          ret="$?"
+          if [[ "$ret" -ne 0 ]]; then
+              echo "The GitHub API returned $ret"
+              exit $ret
+          fi
+          # get the latest backport label excluding any website labels, ex: `backport/0.3.x` and not `backport/website`
+          latest_backport_label=$(echo "$resp" | jq -r '.[] | select(.name | (startswith("backport/") and (contains("website") | not))) | .name' | sort -rV | head -n1)
+          echo "Latest backport label: $latest_backport_label"
+          # set BACKPORT_TARGET_TEMPLATE for backport-assistant
+          # trims backport/ from the beginning with parameter substitution
+          export BACKPORT_TARGET_TEMPLATE="release/${latest_backport_label#backport/}.x"
+          backport-assistant backport -merge-method=rebase -automerge
+        env:
+          BACKPORT_LABEL_REGEXP: "type/docs-(?P<target>cherrypick)"
+          GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.ELEVATED_GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+      - name: Run Backport Assistant for release branches
+        run: |
+          backport-assistant backport -merge-method=rebase -auto-merge
         env:
           BACKPORT_LABEL_REGEXP: "backport/(?P<target>\\d+\\.\\d+)"
           BACKPORT_TARGET_TEMPLATE: "release/{{.target}}.x"
diff --git a/.github/workflows/backport-reminder.yml b/.github/workflows/backport-reminder.yml
index 323b90daf6..7a04ccd595 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/backport-reminder.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/backport-reminder.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
     steps:
       - name: Comment on PR
         run: |
-          github_message="After merging, confirm that you see messages like: 🍒✅ Cherry pick of commit ... onto ... succeeded!"
+          github_message="After merging, confirm that you see linked PRs AND check that them for CI errors."
           curl -s -H "Authorization: token ${{ secrets.PR_COMMENT_TOKEN }}" \
             -X POST \
             -d "{ \"body\": \"${github_message}\"}" \
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-metrics-test-checker.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-metrics-test-checker.yml
index 3019d357c8..7c42da595b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-metrics-test-checker.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-metrics-test-checker.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   metrics_test_check:
-    if: "!contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'pr/no-metrics-test')"
+    if: "! ( contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'pr/no-metrics-test') || github.event.pull_request.user.login == 'hc-github-team-consul-core' )" 
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v2