US voters reject data centers at the ballot box

Voters in Tuesday's US midterm elections approved bans and moratoriums on data center development in dozens of jurisdictions across at least 10 states.

• Data centers appeared on ballots in at least 40 jurisdictions across 10 states on Tuesday, and voters approved nearly every moratorium.
• At least 14 Ohio municipalities passed bans or restrictions, while eight Maine towns approved moratoriums and Emporio, Kansas, approved a ban on high-impact data centers.
• Hardwood, North Dakota, population under 1,000, was the lone jurisdiction to vote down a data center restriction measure.
• Elected governors Gina Hinojosa of Texas, Amy Acton of Ohio, and Keisha Lance Bottoms of Georgia pledged moratoriums on large data centers.