Voters reject data centers in multiple ballot measures

Voters in more than 30 localities across nine states passed measures against data center projects on Tuesday, signaling growing public resistance to the industry's expansion.

Residents in Edgewater, Fla., voted to embed a data-center ban in the city’s charter, while Perry, Ohio, passed a measure placing financial and operational constraints on hyperscalers seeking tax breaks.

Democrats running in more than 130 federal and gubernatorial races aired anti-tech or anti-data center ads this cycle, one analysis showed.

Some Republican candidates, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, an AI booster just a few months ago, shifted toward promises of tougher regulation; he lost anyway.

Banks and asset managers financing the buildout have already begun treating local opposition as a credit risk, while tech companies attempt to rebrand the facilities as 'compute campuses' with mixed success.

Hyperscalers are rushing to hire community liaisons as they navigate regulatory challenges.