For some Kentuckians, data centers are top of mind. Will the issue sway voters this fall?
Residents in Mercer County, Kentucky, are organizing against a proposed hyperscale data center near Burgin, citing farmland loss, environmental risks and possible impacts on utility bills. The issue has drawn large public meetings and entered state and local election campaigns after county leaders rejected proposed regulations governing where data centers could locate.
Residents led by Dana Hanson and the nonprofit We Are Mercer County have mobilized against a proposed hyperscale data center near Burgin in Mercer County, Kentucky. Opponents cite farmland use, environmental concerns, utility costs and a lack of transparency, with residents attending Burgin City Council and Mercer County Fiscal Court meetings and broader listening sessions involving people from at least 15 counties.
The Mercer County Planning and Zoning Commission had worked on rules to regulate data center locations, but county leaders rejected those regulations earlier in the month. The controversy has become an election issue, with candidates and elected officials debating local control, ratepayer protections and support for artificial intelligence infrastructure. Advocates and political analysts said the issue is most likely to influence voters in communities directly facing data center proposals, though its broader electoral impact remains uncertain.