diff --git a/src/komodo_bitcoind.h b/src/komodo_bitcoind.h
index a754f24ea..6678abaf2 100644
--- a/src/komodo_bitcoind.h
+++ b/src/komodo_bitcoind.h
@@ -557,11 +557,11 @@ int32_t komodo_is_special(int32_t height,uint8_t pubkey33[33])
         {
             if ( komodo_minerid(height-i) == notaryid )
             {
-                //fprintf(stderr,"ht.%d notaryid.%d already mined -i.%d\n",height,notaryid,i);
+                fprintf(stderr,"ht.%d notaryid.%d already mined -i.%d\n",height,notaryid,i);
                 return(-1);
             }
         }
-        //fprintf(stderr,"special notaryid.%d ht.%d limit.%d\n",notaryid,height,limit);
+        fprintf(stderr,"special notaryid.%d ht.%d limit.%d\n",notaryid,height,limit);
         return(1);
     }
     return(0);
diff --git a/src/pow.cpp b/src/pow.cpp
index a5d75e7ba..e9d0e7eef 100644
--- a/src/pow.cpp
+++ b/src/pow.cpp
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ int32_t komodo_chosennotary(int32_t *notaryidp,int32_t height,uint8_t *pubkey33)
 int32_t komodo_is_special(int32_t height,uint8_t pubkey33[33]);
 int32_t komodo_currentheight();
 extern int32_t KOMODO_CHOSEN_ONE;
-//extern int8_t Minerids[1024 * 1024 * 5]; // 5 million blocks
+#define KOMODO_ELECTION_GAP 2000
 
 bool CheckProofOfWork(int32_t height,uint8_t *pubkey33,uint256 hash, unsigned int nBits, const Consensus::Params& params)
 {
@@ -128,13 +128,12 @@ bool CheckProofOfWork(int32_t height,uint8_t *pubkey33,uint256 hash, unsigned in
         }
         if ( nonz == 0 )
             return(true); // will come back via different path with pubkey set
-        if ( notaryid >= 0 )
+        special2 = komodo_is_special(height,pubkey33);
+        if ( notaryid >= 0 && (height <= 90000 || (height % KOMODO_ELECTION_GAP) > 64) )
         {
-            special2 = komodo_is_special(height,pubkey33);
-            if ( special2 == -2 )
-                printf("height.%d special2.%d special.%d\n",height,special2,special);
-            if ( special2 == -2 || (height < 80000 && (special != 0 || special2 > 0)) ||
-                (height >= 80000 && special2 > 0) )
+            //if ( special2 == -2 )
+            //    printf("height.%d special2.%d special.%d\n",height,special2,special);
+            if ( height < 90000 || (height % KOMODO_ELECTION_GAP) == 0 || (height < 80000 && (special != 0 || special2 > 0)) || (height >= 80000 && special2 > 0) )
             {
                 bnTarget.SetCompact(KOMODO_MINDIFF_NBITS,&fNegative,&fOverflow);
                 flag = 1;