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US Politics

Voters back data center bans and limits in dozens of local measures

Ohio held 21 of the measures, and shares of companies tied to data center construction fell on Wednesday.

16 news outlets reported this
Liberal7 outletswhat the backlash costs tech firms, investorsCenter6 outletsvoter backlash and the oversight era aheadConservative3 outletsvoter rejection of data centers and AI politics
Published 3 min read
Overview

Voters across the United States backed bans and limits on data centers in dozens of local on Tuesday, during the elections. Ohio held 21 of the measures. In Piqua, Ohio, voters passed a ban covering large data centers and removed the commissioners who had supported a Meta project there.

In Ashville, voters repealed the village's deal with developer EdgeConneX, which said its project is moving forward because permits are secured and construction is underway. The one result favoring the industry came in Harwood, North Dakota, where voters rejected a measure that would have added review and public hearing requirements for large projects. Democrats won majorities in and , according to the New York Post.

In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Gov. Greg Abbott after proposing a moratorium on data center construction. In Ohio, Democrat Sherrod Brown defeated Republican Sen. Jon Husted after calling him the "face" of data centers. analysts told CBS News the results could slow the buildout.

On Wednesday, shares of companies tied to the physical buildout fell, while Semafor reports that stocks of the big tech firms it calls hyperscalers rose. Meta said it will work with local officials to decide the future of its Piqua investment.

Key figures
  • 21 data center ballot measures in Ohio — New York Post
  • 56% voters calling AI and data centers a crucial or major factor, per NBC exit poll — Stateline
  • 325 votes against the Harwood, North Dakota, measure, with 105 in favor — Business Insider
  • down about 21% Modine shares on Wednesday — Semafor
  • Seventy-six percent voters rejecting local data centers, per early CNN exit poll results — The Daily Signal

Three sides of the story

Liberal7 outlets

what the backlash costs tech firms, investors

Semafor leads with Ohio's "rebuke" in Piqua, Trenton and Ashville and what it could cost companies whose projects were already under way. It quotes a Meta spokesperson saying the company will work with local officials on Piqua's future. CBS News centers on Wall Street analysts, with Dan Ives answering "a clear YES" on whether the elections slow the buildout, and on Georgia's Keisha Lance Bottoms pledging an for a pause.

Business Insider looks at Harwood, North Dakota, the lone pro-industry result, with a 325 to 105 vote, residents' frustration and Mayor Blake Hankey calling the measure imprecise. The Boston Globe opens with "Republicans had a bad night. Data centers had an even worse one," lists defeated pro-data center candidates, and cites analyst Ben Thompson calling a slowdown "the break Americans wanted."

Center6 outlets

voter backlash and the oversight era ahead

The Seattle Times leads with voters who "slammed the brakes" on data centers and a new Democratic leadership promising scrutiny of AI companies. It quotes Brookings fellow Darrell West: "Expect a tsunami of new rules and oversight." Reason lays out the measures state by state, noting 41 measures in 11 states, 21 of them in Ohio, and that some places such as Edgewater and Alhambra have no data centers.

Stateline reports 33 measures passed or leading late Tuesday, and quotes Conserve Ohio attorney Nick Owens on communities "putting partisan differences aside." The Las Vegas Review-Journal covers Boulder City, where voters were asked about data centers in the Eldorado Valley Transfer Area, a city-owned tract of 107,400 acres. According to unofficial results on Wednesday afternoon, nearly 71 percent voted against allowing them there.

The paper adds that the land where a data center could actually go is small.

Conservative3 outlets

voter rejection of data centers and AI politics

The New York Post's headline calls the result a "major setback to AI bigwigs," with voters deciding against data centers in 47 of at least 50 measures, per Ballotpedia. It ties this to a "blue tsunami" for Democrats and quotes Elon Musk on data centers in space and Rep. Greg Casar on calling AI CEOs to testify. The Daily Signal, running a Daily Caller News Foundation report, leads with exit-poll findings, citing early CNN results in which "Seventy-six percent" of voters reject local data center construction.

It adds that 23 percent called AI and data centers "crucial" to their vote and that AI was not the top issue for voters. Just the News reports local results, including nearly 80% in Joliet Township, Illinois, and more than 60% backing a voter-approval requirement in Janesville, Wisconsin. It cites a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll in which seven in ten Americans opposed new data center construction in their communities.

All sources: 19 articles from 16 outlets

Liberal (10)

Center (6)

Conservative (3)

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Ballot measure

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