Data center debate shaping campaigns and ballot measures in Ohio
The Pataskala, Ohio city council blocked a proposed data center and residents will vote on a ballot measure to prohibit large-scale data center construction. Data centers have become a significant political issue in Ohio, with 20 related ballot initiatives and a federal bill (Ratepayer Protection Act) passing the House but stalling in the Senate.
The city council of Pataskala, Ohio, recently voted to block the construction of a proposed 200-megawatt, three-building data center, reflecting growing local opposition. Additionally, Pataskala residents will vote on a November ballot initiative to prohibit all large-scale data center construction, one of 20 such referenda across Ohio this fall.
The debate over data centers, and concerns about rising electricity rates, has become a significant issue in Ohio's election cycle. U.S. Representative Troy Balderson (R-Ohio) noted the strong public sentiment within his district, which includes Pataskala. This led to the U.S. House of Representatives passing the Ratepayer Protection Act on September 16, a bill designed to require data centers to pay for electric grid upgrades. However, the bill stalled in the Senate shortly after, facing Democratic opposition who argued it did not go far enough.
Ohio Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio), a co-sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, has sought to distance himself from previous support for data center development in Ohio. His opponent, former Senator Sherrod Brown, has criticized Husted in campaign ads, although Brown himself praised a data center project in 2015, an action he now frames with caveats about community input and electricity rate caps. The issue is fueling significant political advertising, with over $7.6 million tracked in campaign ads related to data centers nationwide.