Voters’ data center rebuke hits some tech companies harder than others
Voters in Piqua and Trenton, Ohio, approved bans on large data centers, while Ashville voters repealed a deal with developer EdgeConneX. Piqua voters also recalled commissioners who supported Meta's proposed project, highlighting growing political and financial risks for data center development.
Voters in several Ohio communities approved measures targeting data center development during the midterm elections. Piqua voters passed a ban on large data centers and recalled city commissioners who had backed Meta’s proposed project, while voters in Trenton approved a similar ban. In Ashville, outside Columbus, voters repealed the village’s agreement with data center developer EdgeConneX.
The Ohio results were part of a broader national backlash involving ballot measures, moratoriums and tighter oversight of data centers. Analysts said the restrictions could slow planned capacity growth and affect companies tied to construction and infrastructure, even as hyperscalers may benefit from having scarcer computing capacity. The article also describes efforts by technology companies and political groups to shape future federal data center policy in Washington.