diff --git a/raft/consensus_module.nim b/raft/consensus_module.nim
index 9d6cbd6..a4cdb5f 100644
--- a/raft/consensus_module.nim
+++ b/raft/consensus_module.nim
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ proc RaftNodeHandleHeartBeat*[SmCommandType, SmStateType](node: RaftNode[SmComma
   debug "Received heart-beat", node_id=node.id, sender_id=msg.sender_id, node_current_term=node.currentTerm, sender_term=msg.senderTerm
   result = RaftMessageResponse[SmCommandType, SmStateType](op: rmoAppendLogEntry, senderId: node.id, receiverId: msg.senderId, msgId: msg.msgId, success: false)
   withRLock(node.raftStateMutex):
+    if node.state == rnsStopped:
+      return
+
     if msg.senderTerm >= node.currentTerm:
       RaftNodeCancelAllTimers(node)
       if node.state == rnsCandidate:
@@ -39,12 +42,16 @@ proc RaftNodeHandleHeartBeat*[SmCommandType, SmStateType](node: RaftNode[SmComma
 
 proc RaftNodeHandleRequestVote*[SmCommandType, SmStateType](node: RaftNode[SmCommandType, SmStateType], msg: RaftMessage[SmCommandType, SmStateType]):
     RaftMessageResponse[SmCommandType, SmStateType] =
+  result = RaftMessageResponse[SmCommandType, SmStateType](op: rmoRequestVote, msgId: msg.msgId, senderId: node.id, receiverId: msg.senderId, granted: false)
   withRLock(node.raftStateMutex):
-    result = RaftMessageResponse[SmCommandType, SmStateType](op: rmoRequestVote, msgId: msg.msgId, senderId: node.id, receiverId: msg.senderId, granted: false)
-    if node.state != rnsCandidate and node.state != rnsStopped and msg.senderTerm > node.currentTerm and node.votedFor == DefaultUUID:
-      if msg.lastLogTerm >= RaftNodeLogEntryGet(node, RaftNodeLogIndexGet(node)).term or
+    if node.state == rnsStopped:
+      return
+
+    if msg.senderTerm > node.currentTerm and node.votedFor == DefaultUUID:
+      if msg.lastLogTerm > RaftNodeLogEntryGet(node, RaftNodeLogIndexGet(node)).term or
         (msg.lastLogTerm == RaftNodeLogEntryGet(node, RaftNodeLogIndexGet(node)).term and msg.lastLogIndex >= RaftNodeLogIndexGet(node)):
-        asyncSpawn cancelAndWait(node.electionTimeoutTimer)
+        if node.electionTimeoutTimer != nil:
+          asyncSpawn cancelAndWait(node.electionTimeoutTimer)
         node.votedFor = msg.senderId
         result.granted = true
         RaftNodeScheduleElectionTimeout(node)
@@ -52,16 +59,16 @@ proc RaftNodeHandleRequestVote*[SmCommandType, SmStateType](node: RaftNode[SmCom
 proc RaftNodeAbortElection*[SmCommandType, SmStateType](node: RaftNode[SmCommandType, SmStateType]) =
   withRLock(node.raftStateMutex):
     node.state = rnsFollower
-  # for fut in node.votesFuts:
-  #     waitFor cancelAndWait(fut)
+    for fut in node.votesFuts:
+        waitFor cancelAndWait(fut)
 
 proc RaftNodeStartElection*[SmCommandType, SmStateType](node: RaftNode[SmCommandType, SmStateType]) {.async.} =
-  while node.votesFuts.len > 0:
-    discard node.votesFuts.pop
   mixin RaftNodeScheduleElectionTimeout
   RaftNodeScheduleElectionTimeout(node)
 
   withRLock(node.raftStateMutex):
+    while node.votesFuts.len > 0:
+     discard node.votesFuts.pop
     node.currentTerm.inc
     node.state = rnsCandidate
     node.votedFor = node.id
@@ -77,22 +84,23 @@ proc RaftNodeStartElection*[SmCommandType, SmStateType](node: RaftNode[SmCommand
       )
     )
 
-  # Process votes (if any)
-  for voteFut in node.votesFuts:
-    try:
-      await voteFut or sleepAsync(milliseconds(node.votingTimeout))
-      if not voteFut.finished:
-        await cancelAndWait(voteFut)
-      else:
-        if not voteFut.cancelled:
-          let respVote = RaftMessageResponse[SmCommandType, SmStateType](voteFut.read)
-          debug "Received vote", node_id=node.id, sender_id=respVote.senderId, granted=respVote.granted
+  withRLock(node.raftStateMutex):
+    # Process votes (if any)
+    for voteFut in node.votesFuts:
+      try:
+        await voteFut or sleepAsync(milliseconds(node.votingTimeout))
+        if not voteFut.finished:
+          await cancelAndWait(voteFut)
+        else:
+          if not voteFut.cancelled:
+            let respVote = RaftMessageResponse[SmCommandType, SmStateType](voteFut.read)
+            debug "Received vote", node_id=node.id, sender_id=respVote.senderId, granted=respVote.granted
 
-          for p in node.peers:
-            if p.id == respVote.senderId:
-              p.hasVoted = respVote.granted
-    except Exception as e:
-      discard
+            for p in node.peers:
+              if p.id == respVote.senderId:
+                p.hasVoted = respVote.granted
+      except Exception as e:
+        discard
 
   withRLock(node.raftStateMutex):
     if node.state == rnsCandidate:
diff --git a/raft/consensus_state_machine.nim b/raft/consensus_state_machine.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e17029
--- /dev/null
+++ b/raft/consensus_state_machine.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+# nim-raft
+# Copyright (c) 2023 Status Research & Development GmbH
+# Licensed under either of
+#  * Apache License, version 2.0, ([LICENSE-APACHE](LICENSE-APACHE))
+#  * MIT license ([LICENSE-MIT](LICENSE-MIT))
+# at your option.
+# This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed except according to
+# those terms.
+
+import std/tables
+import std/rlocks
+
+type
+  # Define callback to use with Terminals
+  ConsensusFSMCallbackType*[NodeType] = proc(node: NodeType) {.gcsafe.}
+  # Define Non-Terminals as a (unique) tuples of the internal state and a sequence of callbacks
+  NonTerminalSymbol*[NodeType, NodeStates] = (NodeStates, seq[ConsensusFSMCallbackType[NodeType]])
+  # Define loose conditions computed from our NodeType
+  Condition*[NodeType] = proc(node: NodeType): bool
+  # Define Terminals as a tuple of a Event and (Hash) Table of sequences of (loose) conditions and their respective values computed from NodeType (Truth Table)
+  TerminalSymbol*[NodeType, EventType] = (Table[EventType, (seq[Condition[NodeType]], seq[bool])])
+  # Define State Transition Rules LUT of the form ( NonTerminal -> Terminal ) -> NonTerminal )
+  StateTransitionsRulesLUT*[NodeType, EventType, NodeStates] = Table[
+    (NonTerminalSymbol[NodeType, NodeStates], TerminalSymbol[NodeType, EventType]),
+    NonTerminalSymbol[NodeType, NodeStates]]
+
+  # FSM type definition
+  ConsensusFSM*[NodeType, EventType, NodeStates] = ref object
+    mtx: RLock
+    state: NonTerminalSymbol[NodeType, NodeStates]
+    stateTransitionsLUT: StateTransitionsRulesLUT[NodeType, EventType, NodeStates]
+
+# FSM type constructor
+proc new*[NodeType, EventType, NodeStates](T: type ConsensusFSM[NodeType, EventType, NodeStates],
+          lut: StateTransitionsRulesLUT[NodeType, EventType, NodeStates],
+          startSymbol: NonTerminalSymbol[NodeType, NodeStates]
+  ): T =
+  result = new(ConsensusFSM[NodeType, EventType, NodeStates])
+  initRLock(result.mtx)
+  result.state = startSymbol
+  result.stateTransitionsLUT = lut
+
+proc computeFSMInputRobustLogic[NodeType, EventType](node: NodeType, event: EventType, rawInput: TerminalSymbol[NodeType, EventType]):
+    TerminalSymbol[NodeType, EventType] =
+  var
+    robustLogicEventTerminal = rawInput[event]
+  for f, v in robustLogicEventTerminal:
+    v = f(node)
+  rawInput[event] = robustLogicEventTerminal
+  result = rawInput
+
+proc consensusFSMAdvance[NodeType, EventType, NodeStates](fsm: ConsensusFSM[NodeType, EventType, NodeStates], node: NodeType, event: EventType,
+                         rawInput: TerminalSymbol[NodeType, EventType]): NonTerminalSymbol[NodeType, NodeStates] =
+  withRLock():
+    var
+      input = computeFSMInputRobustLogic(node, event, rawInput)
+    fsm.state = fsm.stateTransitionsLUT[fsm.state, input]
+    result = fsm.state
\ No newline at end of file