We have to take it seriously. Keep in mind the coup attempt against the Trump candidacy was just over a month ago. Globally, the invisible hand will do whatever it takes to keep power.
I suspect they're over-playing that hand. There is a significant percentage of fundamentally decent (but misguided) liberals who understand the importance of accepting the results of an election. That might be why the anarchists aren't able to take over the protests. That and there are some sane people, even in places such as Portland, who don't want their city to become Ferguson or Baltimore.
JMHO
Ask the tech guys if this is real...too fast even for liberals. Probably a bot a computer bot or letting one person vote over and over again...they did this after Brexit...