Data centers become flashpoint in Indiana county commissioner races
Data center development has become a major issue in Indiana county commissioner races, particularly in Miami County, where residents are opposing an ordinance that would allow projects after lifting a temporary moratorium. Candidates across the state are debating whether to support moratoriums, stricter safeguards, or continued development, while projects involving Amazon, Microsoft, and Google move forward in other counties.
Data center proposals have emerged as a defining issue in Indiana local elections. In Miami County, the Plan Commission recommended a data center ordinance and lifting a temporary moratorium, prompting hundreds of residents to object. Apple farmer Jason McClure entered the commissioner’s race to challenge incumbent Fred Musselman, who supported the ordinance, and is campaigning to restore the moratorium.
Opposition is also shaping races in Jasper and LaPorte counties. Jasper County commissioners unanimously approved an agreement with Amazon for a $7 billion campus near Wheatfield, while Microsoft is building a $1 billion campus in La Porte and Google plans a 70-acre project in Michigan City. Candidates differ over the response: some favor moratoriums, while others support allowing projects only in industrial areas with tighter protections for residents and the environment.
Polling cited in the report shows broad opposition to new data centers in Indiana, although a national survey found more support for strict guardrails than outright bans. Miami County Commissioner Fred Musselman defended his ordinance as a way to secure jobs and tax revenue while protecting residents, setting up a direct electoral test against McClure’s moratorium proposal.