US voters back local restrictions on data centre development

Voters in local elections across the United States backed measures to restrict data centre development, signalling broad concern about the facilities’ local impact. The results could make it harder for projects to proceed and show that AI and data centres have become significant political issues.

There were 45 ballot measures across 10 states; by early Wednesday, 33 had passed and six more were projected to pass, according to the article’s tracker. In Ohio, all 20 measures were winning or projected to win, including bans backed by 76 per cent of voters in Urbana and 77 per cent in Hubbard. An NBC exit poll found 56 per cent of voters said AI and data centres were a crucial or major factor in their congressional vote.