Proposed Massachusetts initiative would be the nation’s second statewide ballot measure on data center policy
A proposed Massachusetts ballot initiative aims to impose significant restrictions on data center development, requiring local voter approval and specific conditions. This follows a pause by Governor Maura Healey on data center sales tax exemptions due to concerns about utility costs. The move reflects a growing trend of public opposition leading to greater restrictions on data centers, seen in local ballot measures and a similar initiative in Ohio.
Ballotpedia News reports on a significant statewide ballot initiative proposed for Massachusetts that, if passed in November 2028, would make it the second state after Ohio where voters could directly decide on data center policy. The initiative seeks to prohibit local permitting agencies from issuing data center permits unless specific conditions are met and two-thirds of the local electorate approve the project. These conditions relate to the data center's impact on communities.
The Massachusetts Attorney General's office is set to review the initiative for constitutional and procedural compliance by September 2. If approved, its sponsors would need to gather over 74,000 signatures to qualify it for the ballot. This proposed measure follows a 2024 decision by the Massachusetts General Court to create sales and use tax exemptions for qualifying data centers, which required significant investment, job creation, and square footage. However, Governor Maura Healey (D) announced a pause on these tax exemption applications on June 25, 2026, citing the need for "strong protections... against higher gas and electric bills."
The article also highlights that voters have already decided four local data center measures this year, with all favoring greater restrictions on development. A similar initiative in Ohio by Conserve Ohio aims to prohibit data centers exceeding 25 megawatts. This trend underscores a growing nationwide political issue surrounding data center expansion, with Ballotpedia tracking 17 proposed local measures across 10 states and 33 recall efforts targeting officials over data center projects.