About Swing State
Swing State is a free real-time strategy game about running a Senate campaign. It is set in Calder, a made-up swing state of eighteen counties, from the lakeside city of Port Calder to the farm counties of the west. You have three or six weeks until Election Day.
It plays like a classic map strategy game. Train canvassers, ad vans, pollsters and surrogate buses at your HQ and field offices, then send them along the roads to the counties that matter. Canvassers win over undecided voters and get your side to the polls, ads work on a county and its neighbours, pollsters lift the fog of war, and your candidate's bus holds rallies and fundraisers. Your opponent does the same, with the same money and the same rules.
News breaks every few days, from a debate to a flood to a hot-mic gaffe, and how you answer moves votes. On Election Day, results night counts the state county by county until the race is called. Everything in it is fictional: the state, both parties and both candidates are made up.
How to play
- Pick a side: the Harbor Party is strong in Port Calder and the suburbs; the Prairie Party in the farm and hill counties. Choose a 3-week or 6-week campaign and an opponent.
- Move your units: select a unit, then click or tap a county. Units drive along the roads; the highway is faster.
- Work the close counties: a pale tint means a close race. Small counties move faster; big ones are worth more votes. Hatched counties are in the fog, so your numbers there are old.
- Rally with your candidate for a big swing, attention and new volunteers. Hold a fundraiser when money runs low.
- Open field offices where your units stand: they recruit volunteers, let you train units nearby and keep the county in sight.
- Answer the news cards before their timers run out, and remember that early voting opens two thirds of the way in: from then on, getting voters out counts double.
Controls
| Click a unit / drag a box | Select units |
|---|---|
| Click or right-click a county | Send selected units there |
| Wheel, right-drag, arrow keys | Zoom and pan |
| Space | Pause |
| 1 / 2 / 3 | Game speed |
| Tab | Next idle unit |
| H | HQ: train units |
| R | Rally |
| F | Fundraiser |
| A | Ads on or off |
| O | Open a field office |
| Phone | Tap a unit, tap a county; pinch to zoom; HQ, Idle and Same buttons |
FAQ
Is Swing State free?
Yes. It runs in your browser on computers and phones (in landscape), with nothing to install.
Is it about a real election?
It was made for the US midterms on 3 November 2026, but everything in it is fictional: the state of Calder, its counties, both parties and both candidates are made up. It does not take a side.
How long is a game?
A 3-week campaign takes about four minutes at normal speed and a 6-week one about eight, plus results night. You can play at 2x or 3x speed.
Is the opponent cheating?
No. The AI campaign uses the same units, prices, roads and fog of war as you. On Hard it decides faster and raises a little more money.
How do I get on the leaderboard?
Create a free account (18+) and win a campaign. Your best campaign score and your biggest winning margin are saved.
A parody and fiction inspired by real events. Not news or advice, and not affiliated with or endorsed by anyone in the game. Legal & privacy