Ohio proposed constitutional amendment to ban data centers will not be on this year’s ballot
Conserve Ohio's proposed constitutional amendment to ban large data centers in the state will not appear on the November election ballot this year due to missing the signature deadline. The grassroots organization, which has gathered over 70,000 signatures, plans to continue its efforts to place the amendment on the 2027 ballot. The amendment aims to prohibit data centers with a peak load exceeding 25 megawatts.
A proposed constitutional amendment in Ohio, spearheaded by the grassroots organization Conserve Ohio, will not be on the November election ballot this year. The amendment sought to ban the construction of data centers with a peak load exceeding 25 megawatts per month, which would effectively prevent most modern data center developments in the state.
Conserve Ohio announced that despite collecting over 70,000 signatures by June 18, they were unable to meet the July 1 deadline of over 413,000 signatures from at least 44 of Ohio's 88 counties. The organization emphasized its resolve, stating that signature gathering and community action will continue, with a new target of the 2027 ballot.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns about data center development in Ohio, which currently hosts over 200 data centers, ranking sixth nationally. More than a dozen Ohio cities have already enacted temporary moratoriums on data centers. State lawmakers are also considering Ohio House Bill 646, which would reduce sales tax breaks for new data centers from 100% to 50%, though existing contracts with companies like Meta, Google, and Amazon would be unaffected.
Opponents highlight that large data centers consume significant resources, with some using as much electricity as 100,000 homes and up to five million gallons of water daily. The Ohio Department of Taxation reported nearly $1.57 billion in sales-tax exemptions for data center equipment and construction materials last year.