Voters in 10 states considered 41 local data center measures on Tuesday, and preliminary results show pro-data center initiatives almost never passed. At least 14 Ohio municipalities approved bans or restrictions. Exit polling showed broad voter concern about data centers.
According to preliminary results, almost nowhere did a pro–data center initiative pass or an anti-data center initiative fail, and in most places it was not a close call. Voters in 10 states considered 41 data center measures nationally. Twenty-one appeared on ballots in Ohio, seven in Illinois, four in Maine, three in Kansas, and one each in Wisconsin, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Florida, and California.
Ohio
Ohio residents across 18 municipalities voted on 21 ballot measures on data centers on Tuesday, more than half of the 41 data center-related ballot measures across the country. At least 14 Ohio municipalities passed bans or other restrictions on data centers Tuesday, including Sunbury, where a ban targets a planned Amazon data center. Voters in those municipalities approved the bans or other restrictions.
Ashville and Harwood
In Ashville, 82% of its 1,800 voters rejected a resolution to proceed with development of data centers and an associated natural gas facility. EdgeConneX had wanted permits to build two data centers on a 195-acre property. The referendum was rejected with 81.61% against and 18.39% in favor.
Harwood, North Dakota voters rejected a measure that would have given residents a greater say in how large projects, such as AI data centers, are constructed in the town; 325 voted against and 105 voted for, according to the North Dakota Secretary of State's office. The measure was a city charter amendment that would have required an independent review and public hearing before adopting large industrial projects, including data centers, and 75% of the 430 voters rejected it. Roughly three-quarters of voters rejected proposed restrictions on industrial development, according to The Washington Post.
Texas races
Democrat Gina Hinojosa beat incumbent Greg Abbott in the Texas governor's race and will be the state's first Democratic governor since 1995. Her campaign included a promise to immediately pause data-center development in the state. She supports a statewide moratorium on data centers and centered much of her campaign on opposing them. James Talarico, the Democratic senator-elect in Texas, has argued that data centers contribute to the cost of living, including by increasing utility bills, and wants to create an AI dividend.
Polling
An NBC exit poll showed more than half of respondents believe AI will do more harm than good, almost 80% oppose building data centers in their neighborhoods, and almost 60% said data centers were a crucial or major factor in their vote. According to the NBC News exit poll, 56% of voters said AI and data centers were a crucial or major factor in their vote for Congress. A Heatmap poll published the previous week found more than 70% of Americans would oppose a data center planned for their area, with rising electricity prices the top reason.
