Here's where Indiana candidates stand on data centers before Election Day
Indiana voters broadly oppose new data centers, citing concerns about electricity costs, water use, environmental impacts and community control, although few rank the issue as their top election concern. Candidates across state and congressional races are divided, with some supporting moratoriums and stricter local oversight while others favor responsible development and economic investment.
Data center development has become a campaign issue across Indiana as residents protest projects over land use, electricity demand, water consumption, environmental effects and potential impacts on utility bills. A Free Press Indiana poll found that 69% of likely voters oppose new data centers, while 90% are concerned about rising energy costs, though only 5% identified artificial intelligence and data centers as their top concern.
Candidates offered differing approaches in WFYI’s 2026 Voter Guide. Democratic candidates Brenna Geswein and David Boyd backed a statewide moratorium, while other candidates called for transparency, limits on tax incentives, local control and requirements that developers pay for added infrastructure and demonstrate adequate water supplies. Republican candidates including Andrew Ireland and Becky Cash acknowledged the need for oversight but also cited investment and jobs, while congressional candidates including J.D. Ford, Victoria Spartz and André Carson raised concerns about grid strain, utility costs and resource impacts. Carson is also sponsoring the AI Data Center Moratorium Act with Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.