Voters deliver backlash against data centers, AI

Voters from both political parties appeared to overwhelmingly support restrictions on data centers in their communities. In Joliet Township, Illinois, nearly 80 percent of voters opted to restrict data centers. In Hubbard, Ohio, nearly 75 percent of voters backed similar measures.

“If data center developers want to put these behind people’s backyards and put their health at risk, they’re going to have to come to the table and build them right,” said Nick Owens, an attorney and co-founder of Conserve Ohio, according to The Washington Post.

Owens, who served as a delegate for President Donald Trump at the 2024 Republican convention, said he founded the organization after a data center developer purchased approximately 1,000 acres of farmland near his home. Conserve Ohio helped residents draft 10 ballot measures seeking to amend local charters to prohibit the development of large-scale data centers.

In Janesville, Wisconsin, over 60 percent of voters said local officials must seek approval on future changes to an abandoned General Motors site after a proposal was raised to develop a data center at the site.

Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, who defeated incumbent Governor Greg Abbott, called for a moratorium on new data center projects and regulations aimed at protecting the environment and electricity ratepayers. Texas is one of the largest states in the country for the development of such facilities.

The town of Harwood, North Dakota, was the only community that appeared to have voted against restrictions on the development of data centers. The town has a population of just 800 people.

Elon Musk, whose artificial intelligence company xAI has been expanding its data center operations, took to X after the midterm results to comment on the issue. Musk wrote that,

“Data centers in space look pretty appealing right now.”

The issue of AI data centers appears to be bipartisan. Critics have pointed to the effect that such facilities could have on their communities, such as noise pollution, water consumption, and increased electricity demand that could contribute to higher utility bills. Others have taken issue with data centers amid the broader concern of AI, including the expansion of AI-powered surveillance with companies like Flock Safety, as well as the technology’s potential impact on workforces in certain industries.