Voters Back Data Center Restrictions in Local Ballots

Voters in communities across the United States approved a range of measures restricting data-center development in the November 3 midterm elections, including a Sunbury, Ohio, charter amendment that bars facilities using at least 25 megawatts of power. The Sunbury amendment passed with 78% support, while the proposed $2 billion Amazon project there was already paused under a city moratorium. Ballotpedia tracked 41 data-center-related measures on ballots across 10 states. The measures covered both restrictions and proposals supporting or permitting development, so national tallies varied according to which measures and outcomes were counted and when results were reported. One analysis of 39 fully counted referendums found 38 had enacted restrictions; other tallies included pending results or measures that would have supported development. The figures do not establish a single final nationwide count under a common definition. The measures differed in scope. Some called for outright bans, while others proposed limits on power use, temporary pauses, added public approval or review, or advisory guidance to local officials. Passage did not always automatically prevent construction:...