diff --git a/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_find_and_modify_with_write_retryability.js b/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_find_and_modify_with_write_retryability.js
index 55b8ccf3540..06802d65c61 100644
--- a/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_find_and_modify_with_write_retryability.js
+++ b/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_find_and_modify_with_write_retryability.js
@@ -105,7 +105,15 @@ load("jstests/sharding/move_chunk_with_session_helper.js");
         },
     ];
 
-    var st = new ShardingTest({shards: {rs0: {nodes: 2}, rs1: {nodes: 2}}});
+    // Prevent unnecessary elections in the first shard replica set. Shard 'rs1' shard will need its
+    // secondary to get elected, so we don't give it a zero priority.
+    var st = new ShardingTest({
+        mongos: 2,
+        shards: {
+            rs0: {nodes: [{rsConfig: {}}, {rsConfig: {priority: 0}}]},
+            rs1: {nodes: [{rsConfig: {}}, {rsConfig: {}}]}
+        }
+    });
     assert.commandWorked(st.s.adminCommand({enableSharding: 'test'}));
     st.ensurePrimaryShard('test', st.shard0.shardName);
 
diff --git a/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_insert_with_write_retryability.js b/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_insert_with_write_retryability.js
index d0cbd8adc1d..0f755de41c4 100644
--- a/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_insert_with_write_retryability.js
+++ b/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_insert_with_write_retryability.js
@@ -10,7 +10,15 @@ load("jstests/sharding/move_chunk_with_session_helper.js");
         return;
     }
 
-    var st = new ShardingTest({shards: {rs0: {nodes: 2}, rs1: {nodes: 2}}});
+    // Prevent unnecessary elections in the first shard replica set. Shard 'rs1' shard will need its
+    // secondary to get elected, so we don't give it a zero priority.
+    var st = new ShardingTest({
+        mongos: 2,
+        shards: {
+            rs0: {nodes: [{rsConfig: {}}, {rsConfig: {priority: 0}}]},
+            rs1: {nodes: [{rsConfig: {}}, {rsConfig: {}}]}
+        }
+    });
     assert.commandWorked(st.s.adminCommand({enableSharding: 'test'}));
     st.ensurePrimaryShard('test', st.shard0.shardName);
 
diff --git a/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_remove_with_write_retryability.js b/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_remove_with_write_retryability.js
index d47b44b5ca4..78c20ceddc6 100644
--- a/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_remove_with_write_retryability.js
+++ b/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_remove_with_write_retryability.js
@@ -10,7 +10,15 @@ load("jstests/sharding/move_chunk_with_session_helper.js");
         return;
     }
 
-    var st = new ShardingTest({shards: {rs0: {nodes: 2}, rs1: {nodes: 2}}});
+    // Prevent unnecessary elections in the first shard replica set. Shard 'rs1' shard will need its
+    // secondary to get elected, so we don't give it a zero priority.
+    var st = new ShardingTest({
+        mongos: 2,
+        shards: {
+            rs0: {nodes: [{rsConfig: {}}, {rsConfig: {priority: 0}}]},
+            rs1: {nodes: [{rsConfig: {}}, {rsConfig: {}}]}
+        }
+    });
     assert.commandWorked(st.s.adminCommand({enableSharding: 'test'}));
     st.ensurePrimaryShard('test', st.shard0.shardName);
 
diff --git a/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_update_with_write_retryability.js b/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_update_with_write_retryability.js
index 779619a1fa8..03748a56c20 100644
--- a/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_update_with_write_retryability.js
+++ b/jstests/sharding/move_chunk_update_with_write_retryability.js
@@ -10,7 +10,15 @@ load("jstests/sharding/move_chunk_with_session_helper.js");
         return;
     }
 
-    var st = new ShardingTest({shards: {rs0: {nodes: 2}, rs1: {nodes: 2}}});
+    // Prevent unnecessary elections in the first shard replica set. Shard 'rs1' shard will need its
+    // secondary to get elected, so we don't give it a zero priority.
+    var st = new ShardingTest({
+        mongos: 2,
+        shards: {
+            rs0: {nodes: [{rsConfig: {}}, {rsConfig: {priority: 0}}]},
+            rs1: {nodes: [{rsConfig: {}}, {rsConfig: {}}]}
+        }
+    });
     assert.commandWorked(st.s.adminCommand({enableSharding: 'test'}));
     st.ensurePrimaryShard('test', st.shard0.shardName);