Stateline: Data center backlash set to sway midterm elections
Opposition to data center development has become a major political issue, with voters in dozens of communities considering bans or new restrictions. Activists cite electricity demand, water use, pollution, noise and farmland conversion, while industry supporters argue that data centers create jobs and tax revenue.
Backlash against data centers has expanded from local planning meetings into state and federal election campaigns. Voters in at least 39 communities across eight states are expected to consider ballot measures involving data center bans, zoning changes or voter approval requirements. Ohio has emerged as a major center of opposition, with 21 local measures planned and activists arguing that the state offered overly generous tax incentives and weak regulation.
The opposition is fueled by concerns over grid strain, rising energy costs, water consumption, pollution, noise and the conversion of farmland. Activists including Conserve Ohio attorney Nick Owens and Ottawa United representative Michael Lewis say officials negotiated projects without adequate public input. Industry-backed groups and political candidates supporting artificial intelligence development counter that data centers bring construction jobs and tax revenue, while advocating for regulations that mitigate local impacts.
The issue is reshaping campaigns across party lines. Ohio Senate candidate Sherrod Brown has attacked Sen. Jon Husted over data center tax incentives, while Husted has proposed requiring data centers to cover their own electrical infrastructure costs. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a moratorium on new data center permits, and candidates and officials in several states have retreated from earlier support amid growing voter opposition.