Be 2020 bby
Galactic MSM spreads hysteria about the space coof from a space bat in a space wet market
Some in the core systems suspect it actually came from a space lab
MSM silences any and all questions
Just happens to be an election year
Suddenly implement galactic rules that force ballots to get sent to people's ships instead of same day, in-person voting
Don't want to kill space grandma
Palpatine doesn't campaign at all
Still declared the winner, no audits allowed
The bellwether planets are completely wrong for the first time in decades
Nice "democracy" you have there