The Swing State Shadow Game: How Election Results Could Be Manipulated in 2024

The New Rules of Swing State Power Games

Seven battleground states. Ninety-three electoral votes. And countless ways to muddy the waters. The margin for error in these swing states isn't just a fluke—it's intentional. From arcane signature verification processes to “central counting locations” packed with “observers” whose powers seem limited to watching the slow-motion manipulation, every single state has a setup that delays, confuses, and leaves the door wide open for all kinds of “reinterpretations” of what “legitimate” ballots mean.

The Absentee and Mail-In Ballot Wildcard

In all seven states, the rules for absentee and mail-in ballots are a tangled mess that even seasoned voters struggle to navigate. Arizona and Michigan, for instance, require “signature verification,” but no one’s explaining exactly how those signatures are verified—or if anyone’s actually accountable for getting it right. Pennsylvania and Nevada allow ballots postmarked by Election Day to trickle in days later, creating a perfect storm of delays and “found ballots.” We saw it in 2020, and here we are again, staring down the barrel of the same slow-burn “counting” game.

Delays and “Transparency” Theater

And while officials will tout transparency with livestreams and audit trails, how much faith can we put in a system that, by design, forces us to wait days or even weeks to find out who really won? Maricopa County, Arizona, openly warned that it could take up to 13 days to finalize results. And Georgia’s already locked in a legal dispute about certification deadlines, with judges ruling they can’t delay certification even if “fraud is suspected.” Absurd.

These delays do more than just frustrate voters—they’re the perfect breeding ground for misinformation and narrative control. And mainstream media will latch onto every "update" to drip-feed the masses just enough "facts" to shape a comfortable narrative.

“Bipartisan” Observers: Puppets on Strings

Election officials like to highlight the “bipartisan” aspect of counting, claiming that workers from both major parties are involved in every step. But what good is having two puppets if they’re both on the same strings? Who’s really watching them, and what are their real powers? In many cases, observers can’t actually challenge the ballots—they’re there to watch, not act. Pennsylvania, for instance, has specific rules that prevent challenges to mail-in ballots based on signature discrepancies.

The Digital Tabulation and Data Lockdown

All these states claim their systems are airtight, with secure “memory cards” and “tamper-evident seals.” Yet we’re talking about a digital system where votes are tabulated on removable media that officials transport around like some kind of secure handoff in a spy movie. Georgia’s voting data, for instance, is transported under lock and key, yet we’re supposed to believe it’s untouchable. If you think a sealed container can prevent tampering in the digital age, you’re fooling yourself. As long as it’s digital, there’s always a way in—and someone always knows how.

Certification Deadlines: A Moving Target

If you thought Election Day was your chance to know the results, think again. Every state has its own arbitrary certification deadline, giving officials weeks to “canvas” and “audit” results. For example, Nevada won’t certify until Nov. 26, and Pennsylvania takes until early December, with additional time for electors to meet. The extra time supposedly allows for transparency, but in practice, it’s just more time for the power players to spin, reframe, and potentially adjust those all-important counts.

Conclusion: The System Is Rigged—So What Can You Do?

It's all laid out right in front of us—a complex, loophole-ridden process that does everything except give voters a clear, trustworthy outcome. This system doesn’t need to be broken; it’s already built to serve those in power. Every layer of “security” and “transparency” is just window dressing, designed to give the appearance of integrity while providing ample room for manipulation and reinterpretation.

Don’t just sit back and hope for the best. If you care about your vote, take steps now to protect yourself from the financial fallout of an increasingly unstable system. Download Seven Steps to Protect Yourself from Bank Failure by Bill Brocius here and start getting your personal finances in order before the next crisis hits.

The system is playing you—don’t let it.