One embodiment of the invention sets forth a mechanism for selecting a voice recognition device included in a network of such devices for processing audio commands corresponding to a detected speech event. The voice recognition devices in the network individually determine which one of the devices is best suited to process the audio commands corresponding to the speech event. In operation, each of the voice recognition devices that detected the same speech event independently selects the same device for processing the audio command. Because each of the voice recognition devices, including the selected device, selects the same device for processing the audio command, the voice recognition devices not need to share information related to the selected device with one another.