Data center restrictions win overwhelming support in communities across 10 states
Voters in 10 states overwhelmingly approved ballot measures restricting, pausing or adding oversight to large-scale data center development. The measures included outright bans, moratoriums, electricity and water-use thresholds, voter-approval requirements and limits on tax incentives, reflecting growing concerns about AI-driven data center expansion.
Voters approved 40 of 41 data center-related ballot measures considered in 10 states during the Nov. 3 general election, according to an analysis of unofficial results by Duane Morris Government Strategies. Ohio had the largest number of measures, while communities in California, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Illinois, Wisconsin and other states also adopted or endorsed restrictions. Alhambra, California, and Edgewater, Florida, approved prohibitions on new data centers, while several Maine communities approved bans or temporary moratoriums.
Other measures addressed electricity demand, water use, tax incentives and public approval of major projects. Janesville, Wisconsin, voters required approval for projects exceeding $450 million amid plans for a potential 800-megawatt campus, while advisory votes in Illinois signaled strong opposition without immediately changing local law. The article also notes that some measures failed, including proposals in Harwood, North Dakota, and Boulder City, Nevada. The results remain unofficial pending certification, and additional data center-related votes are scheduled in Arkansas and North Dakota.