Data Centers Have Brutal Election Night

Voters in nearly 40 US localities approved bans or tighter rules on data centres during the midterm elections, reflecting growing opposition to AI infrastructure being built near homes. The results may also have affected candidate races, as residents pushed for a greater say in projects and raised concerns about electricity costs and the impact on communities.

In Ohio, Hubbard voters approved a construction ban by more than three to one, while Pataskala backed a ban on large data centres by 73% to 26%. Sherrod Brown defeated Jon Husted by 4.8% after criticising his support for the industry; in Wisconsin, more than 60% of Janesville voters backed requiring voter approval for a proposed conversion of an abandoned General Motors site. A Pew Research Centre survey found roughly half of Americans believe data-centre construction would increase housing costs.