Americans Delivered Their Verdict On Data Centers

Data center developers lost big on Tuesday as voters overwhelmingly backed restrictions and rejected new projects nationwide. 

Of the 41 ballot initiative proposals on data centers tracked by Ballotpedia, only one small town voted in favor of the pro-data center side. Voters widely approved moratoriums on new data centers, rejected proposals to support new projects, and backed more regulations. 

The issue of data centers became highly contentious for congressional candidates, with both Democrats and Republicans broadly distancing themselves from data center development. That contrasted with President Donald Trump’s pro-data center approach, who said they were necessary to compete with China. 

In a Truth Social post last month, the president said data centers are “GREAT FOR THE U.S.A.”

On Tuesday, local votes on data centers were conducted across California, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, North Dakota, New Jersey, Nevada, Ohio, Florida, and Wisconsin. With all but one exception, the anti-data center position won with a large majority. 

Voters from Alhambra, California, to Edgewater, Florida, voted to prohibit data centers within city limits as did numerous small cities throughout Ohio. Localities in Maine and Illinois established moratoriums on new data center approvals while other towns voted to increase oversight of project approval. 

Nearly ten entities rejected language to advise officials to approve data center projects while others turned down proposals to loosen up restrictions for development. 

The most populous locality with a vote on data centers was Joliet, Illinois, the third largest city in the state. Voters were asked if the city council should “approve construction of AI data centers.” Nearly 80% of people voted “no” to the question. 

The lone victory for data centers came in Harwood, North Dakota, a tiny town of about 850 people located near Fargo. A measure to require additional review before any approval of industrial development, including “data-processing facilities.” That proposal failed, with 325 people voting against adopting the measure and 105 people in support.  

Currently, most data centers are in urban areas, but much of the planned expansion is set to take place in rural areas throughout the South and Midwest, according to the Pew Research Center.

As concerns about data centers driving up utility costs have risen, so has opposition. 

Many Democrat candidates included anti-data center planks in their platform heading into Election Day while some Republicans followed suit. Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers proposed a data center moratorium, Ohio Senator Jon Husted attempted to pass a bill targeting utility increases related to data centers, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott paused data center approval. All three lost to Democrats on Tuesday. 

Trump has continued to push for data center development, arguing communities that reject them will be left impoverished. Last month, the president argued data centers should issue payments to get communities on board.