The thing I was most worried about in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election was that the left clearly had a comprehensive plan and the right didn’t appear to. It was a strategy to control, manipulate, and dominate every aspect of the electoral process — and it worked. Now, leftists are doing it again in 2024, and their playbook hasn’t changed.

Their plan was spearheaded primarily by Michael Podhorzer from the AFL-CIO and a massive conglomeration of more than 200 progressive groups called the Democracy Defense Coalition. The coalition created a five-step election strategy that covered everything from the voting process to street-level demonstrations. Their goal was clear: ensure victory by any means necessary. These were their "Five Steps to Victory," which are still being used in 2024.

Step 1: Winning the vote

This is a seemingly obvious goal, right? But in 2020, voting looked very different. Pandemic-era rule changes opened the floodgates to mass mail-in voting, drop boxes, and ballot harvesting. With the support of armies of activists and lawyers, the left made sure those new systems worked to their advantage.

This time, it’s ramped up. Kamala Harris herself has promised “teams” of lawyers to attack challenges to pandemic-era voting changes, while Democrat lawyer Marc Elias, who stopped over 60 election-related lawsuits last time, is poised for another round. He’s calling 2024 “the most litigious election in American history,” with 179 lawsuits already filed across 38 states.

The left’s strategies to disrupt, delay, and discredit the electoral process will likely create chaos, making us question our institutions, our rights, and even each other.

But it’s not just people like Elias. This year, the Biden administration's Department of Justice has sued states like Virginia, Alabama, and Wisconsin for simple measures like removing noncitizens from voter rolls or switching to paper ballots.

Ensuring that every vote is legitimate? Apparently, that’s not part of the agenda for “winning the vote.”

Step 2: Winning the count

Why should this even be an issue? If the votes are valid, counting should be straightforward. But for the left, it’s critical. Their mindset hinges on shady elections, where election laws are “flexible” and the public is unsure about what’s legitimate. Disputes will arise, and you can bet they’ll have battalions of lawyers ready to jump in.

In 2020, their war-game simulations involved calling for recounts in swing states. It’s a safe bet we’ll see a similar strategy this time. Disruptions and doubt will dominate the days after the election, with Democrats and their allies questioning every inch of the counting process.

Step 3: Winning the certification

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) recently stated that he expects Democrats to object to the electoral count if Trump wins. Not “maybe” or “probably” — he expects it. Democrats like Jamie Raskin (D-Calif.) have already hinted that they’ll object to Trump’s “interference with the process.” But what’s considered “interference” these days? Standing up for election integrity seems to qualify.

Certification, a simple step in a functioning democracy, will likely become yet another battleground. The left’s playbook has no tolerance for a result the left doesn’t control. If the results go against the left, objections and accusations of "shady" electoral practices will fill the headlines.

Step 4: Winning the Electoral College

This step could be explosive. Left-wing media are already priming the public with headlines like Politico's recent article, “The Very Real Scenario Where Trump Loses and Takes Power Anyway.” Their theory? Trump will rely on Republican support to endorse alternate electors or, if the electoral votes fall short, send the election to the House, where Republicans could select him as president.

Democrats accuse Trump of plotting a plan they have mapped out themselves. They’ll claim manipulation and try to delegitimize the Electoral College process, even though it’s been a constitutional safeguard since our nation’s founding.

Step 5: Winning the transition

Traditionally, the transition of power is a formality. But the left’s strategy suggests otherwise. According to the left's 2020 playbook, this final step offers opportunities for “disruption” — whatever they can manufacture. If Trump wins, expect the usual suspects to re-emerge with protests and accusations, all under the banner of “defending democracy.”

Preparing for unrest

If 2020 was any indication, the weeks following the election may be a powder keg. In 2020, the Democracy Defense Coalition went so far as to organize bail funds in anticipation of mass arrests, with a separate fund ready for families of those “killed in violence” on Election Day. The American public remembers the chaos of that year.

Since then, however, progressive groups have been eerily quiet. Are they planning a quieter assault this time — or just waiting for the right moment to pounce?

It’s essential that the GOP and Trump’s team are ready for every twist and turn, from vote-counting controversies to the transition itself.

Either way, if Trump wins, expect that their playbook has a contingency plan for unrest. The left’s strategies to disrupt, delay, and discredit the electoral process will likely create chaos, making us question our institutions, our rights, and even each other.

This time, however, conservatives have a chance to prepare. It’s essential that the GOP and Trump’s team are ready for every twist and turn, from vote-counting controversies to the transition itself.

The only way to counter the left’s plan is with transparency, vigilance, and a firm commitment to our constitutional processes. If we don’t, the chaos of 2020 may feel like a dress rehearsal compared to what lies ahead.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.