Election 2026: What candidates for Raleigh mayor and council think of data centers
Raleigh adopted a six-month moratorium on new data center applications while city staff develop updated regulations addressing impacts such as water and electricity use, noise, air quality and neighborhood effects. Candidates for mayor and City Council offered differing views, with several supporting a longer moratorium or stricter limits and one incumbent opposing the measure.
Raleigh’s City Council approved a six-month moratorium on new data center applications in late September, giving city staff time to consider updated regulations. Officials and candidates cited concerns about water consumption, electricity demand, noise, heat, vibration, air quality, stormwater and impacts on nearby neighborhoods. Some residents have criticized the six-month term as too short, while North Carolina law prevents the city from imposing an outright ban.
Mayor Janet Cowell and most candidates who responded said they supported the moratorium, though candidates including Joshua Bradley and Sana Siddiqui advocated a substantially longer pause. Several candidates called for stringent rules governing resource use and neighborhood impacts, while council member Christina Jones was the only member to vote against the six-month measure, citing concerns about the process and the amount of time available for public discussion.