Voters in at least 29 U.S. jurisdictions approved bans or restrictions on data-center development during Tuesday’s elections, marking a significant local backlash against the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Ballotpedia tracked 41 data-center measures on November 3 ballots across 10 states. The results indicate widespread community resistance to the energy-intensive facilities, with several municipalities enacting strict limits or requiring additional public approval processes.
Strong Opposition in Ohio and Illinois
In Ohio, all 10 charter measures backed by the grassroots group Conserve Ohio passed, according to The Washington Post. Local results showed decisive margins: more than three-quarters of voters in Hubbard supported a ban on data centers, while residents in Granville, Trenton, and Sunbury backed restrictions with support ranging from roughly 78% to 82%.
Resistance was also evident in Illinois, where nearly 80% of voters in Joliet Township rejected an advisory proposal that would have supported AI data centers. In Janesville, Wisconsin, more than 60% of voters approved a requirement for another public vote before any major development proceeds at a former General Motors site linked to a proposed data center.
Political Shifts and Industry Response
The electoral outcomes coincided with broader political changes affecting the sector. In Texas, Democrat Gina Hinojosa defeated Republican Governor Greg Abbott after campaigning for a moratorium on new projects. In Ohio, governor-elect Amy Acton has stated she supports a pause and stricter rules on data centers.
As local opposition grows, industry leaders have attempted to adjust their messaging. OpenAI has sought to rebrand data centers as “compute campuses” to mitigate community concerns. Meanwhile, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink warned last month that a broad moratorium on such developments could have serious economic consequences.
