Voters rebuff data centers in every ballot measure except one during the 2026 midterms
Voters in the states at the heart of the AI data center boom pushed back on the buildout on Election Night.
TL;DR
- Voters rejected 40 out of 41 local ballot measures aimed at restricting data center construction in 10 states.
- Ohio had the most measures (21), and its top office flipped to Democrat Amy Acton, who supports a conditional moratorium on data centers.
- Major AI data center projects, like OpenAI's in Ohio backed by SoftBank and Nvidia, may face increased resistance.
- The AI trade was already faltering on Wall Street due to rising interest rates and overspending concerns.
- Data centers were a crucial factor for 56% of voters in their election decisions, with Democrats ranking it higher than Republicans.
- Democrats who campaigned on pausing or regulating new projects won key races in Ohio, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Texas.
- Elon Musk's significant political spending in Texas, largely focused on supporting candidates aligned with the tech industry, did not prevent key losses.
- Democrats in Congress are calling for AI executives to testify under oath, indicating increased regulatory scrutiny.
- The revolt against data centers is seen by some as a significant political movement that may lead to larger AI-related political shifts.