diff --git a/design/synchronizer/activity-diagram.png b/design/synchronizer/activity-diagram.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f755f5344
Binary files /dev/null and b/design/synchronizer/activity-diagram.png differ
diff --git a/design/synchronizer/activity-diagram.puml b/design/synchronizer/activity-diagram.puml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..252c94fb31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/design/synchronizer/activity-diagram.puml
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+@startuml
+start
+repeat
+  if (am leader?) then (yes)
+    :update `leader-expiration` to future time (1);
+  else (no)
+    if (`leader-expiration` time has passed (2)?) then (yes)
+      :delete leader host (3);
+      :create leader host (4);
+      if (host create includes API key?) then (yes)
+        :update `leader-expiration` to future time (5);
+      else (no)
+      endif
+    else (no)
+    endif
+  endif
+repeat while (sleep)
+@enduml
diff --git a/design/synchronizer/auto-failover.md b/design/synchronizer/auto-failover.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e26a10eb78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/design/synchronizer/auto-failover.md
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+# Synchronizer Auto-Failover
+
+The following is an overview of the workflow for a Vault Sychronizer to gain leadership:
+
+![](./activity-diagram.png)
+
+Given the following Policy:
+```yml
+- !policy
+  id: conjur
+  body:
+  - !policy
+    id: vault-synchronizer
+    body:
+    - !variable leader-expiration
+
+    # The Group all Synchronizer hosts need to be added to.
+    - !group members
+
+    - !permit
+        role: !group members
+        privileges: [ read, execute, update ]
+        resources:
+      - !variable leader-expiration
+
+      - !policy
+        id: leader
+        owner: !group members
+
+      - !policy
+        id: vault-lines-of-business
+        owner: !group members
+        body:
+        - !variable
+              id: lob-1
+              mime_type: application/json
+        - !variable
+              id: lob-2
+              mime_type: application/json
+```
+
+The following are the steps (using the API) listed above:
+
+1. Update `leader-expiration` to future time:
+
+    ```sh
+    POST /secrets/{account}/variable/conjur%2Fvault-synchronizer%2Fleader-expiration
+
+    Time.now() + <time in seconds> // Save as Unix epoch time
+    ```
+
+1. `leader-expiration` time has passed:
+
+    ```sh
+    GET /secrets/{account}/variable/conjur%2Fvault-synchronizer%2Fleader-expiration
+    ```
+
+    Then compare returned Unix epoch time time to current Unix epoch time.
+
+1. Delete leader host:
+
+    ```sh
+    PUT /policies/{account}/policy/conjur%2Fvault-synchronizer%2Fleader
+
+    # Policy to delete the current leader
+    - !delete
+      record: !host current-leader
+    ```
+
+1. Create leader host:
+
+    ```sh
+    POST /policies/{account}/policy/conjur%2Fvault-synchronizer%2Fleader
+
+    # Policy to delete the current leader
+    - !host
+      id: current-leader
+      annotations:
+        host: "<this synchronizer's host name>"
+    ```
+
+      If the above command returns a JSON object with an API, this Synchronizer is the new leader.  If not, another Synchronizer won.
+
+      The annotation provides an indicator of the "current leader".
+
+1. Update `leader-expiration` to future time:
+
+    ```sh
+    POST /secrets/{account}/variable/conjur%2Fvault-synchronizer%2Fleader-expiration
+
+    Time.now() + <time in seconds> // Save as Unix epoch time
+    ```