Voters restricted data centers in communities across the country this Election Day

Voters across the country made one thing clear on Election Day 2026: They don't want data centers in their communities. Data centers can be built anywhere, but in recent months, there has been a big  push to build them largely in rural areas.

Alex Brown reports for Stateline (republished and linked here from Next City) that 35 "ballot measures to restrict data centers were passed by voters or were leading in ongoing vote counts" as of Wednesday morning. In Ohio alone, Brown reports that voters in 21 municipalities "overwhelmingly backed new restrictions or declined to approve measures that affirmed the buildout" of data centers. 

Ballot measures on Tuesday "included outright prohibitions, temporary moratoriums, limitations on energy use, mandating voter approval before construction and advisory measures urging local officials to restrict data centers," Brown reports, adding that an NBC exit poll found that 56 percent of voters said data centers were a major issue for them.