Primary election 2026: Alejandro, Grantham vying for District 3 county council seat
Two Democratic primary candidates for New Castle County District 3 council seat in Delaware are campaigning with platforms that include regulating data centers. One candidate, Kira Alejandro, pledges to call for a two-year moratorium on data centers and new regulations if elected. Her opponent, Kyle Grantham, also expresses strong opposition to hyperscale data centers and proposes a comprehensive review of county zoning.
Kira Alejandro, a community advocate and Democratic candidate for the New Castle County District 3 council seat, has announced that her primary policy goal, if elected, would be to implement a two-year moratorium on data centers. Alejandro, 30, of Yorklyn, stated that this pause would allow the county sufficient time to pass additional regulations and study the impacts of hyperscale data centers, which she notes are a relatively new development. Her advocacy began after successfully opposing a six-story apartment building in Yorklyn, an experience that led her to believe special interest money unduly influences local government decisions. She also supports upzoning residential areas to promote affordable housing while emphasizing the preservation of open spaces.
Her opponent, Kyle Grantham, 38, a former county employee, shares a similar stance against hyperscale data centers, declaring he would be "thrilled if another hyperscale data center never got built" and stating he has nothing positive to say about them. Grantham's platform includes addressing county budget issues and advocating for changes to the property tax system to allow different rates based on property use, which he believes would reduce the burden on residential taxpayers. He also proposes a proactive and comprehensive review of zoning throughout the county to ensure it aligns with current resident preferences and to prioritize the redevelopment of areas with existing infrastructure over the destruction of natural landscapes. Both candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination, with the winner advancing to face Republican Melissa Brayman in the November general election.