US voters reject data centers in ballot measures

Voters in over 30 localities across nine states approved bans and moratoriums on data centers, impacting AI infrastructure projects.

American voters roundly rejected data centers nearly anywhere they were on the ballot Tuesday. Residents in more than 30 localities across nine states voted for moratoriums, outright bans, and other measures, some in direct response to specific projects underway. Edgewater, Fla. overwhelmingly voted to embed a data-center ban in the city’s charter, and voters in Perry, Ohio passed a measure placing financial and operational constraints on hyperscalers seeking tax breaks. The pressure pushed some Republican candidates including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott into promises of tougher regulation. Banks and asset managers financing the buildout have already begun treating local opposition as a credit risk.