American Voters Overwhelmingly Reject AI Data Centers

In the 2026 midterms, voters in communities across the United States decisively opposed data center development. Measures concerning data centers appeared in more than 40 races across 13 states; voters rejected proposals in 38, six cities approved outright bans, and 12 adopted limits on facilities’ electricity use. Candidates who backed projects also suffered losses. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott, who had promoted the state as a hub for AI infrastructure and received more than $9 million from data-center interests, lost to Gina Hinojosa by over 700,000 votes. His announced pause on new projects did not stop regulators from approving them.

Local contests reinforced the backlash: Emporia, Kansas, banned high-impact data centers, while Yukon, Oklahoma’s mayor lost a recall election after supporting a project. In Burgin, Kentucky, an incumbent who had backed a hyperscale facility was defeated by an anti-data-center write-in candidate. Anti-development candidates also won mayoral races in Asheville, North Carolina, and San Marcos, Texas. The opposition reflects concerns that facilities bring higher electricity bills, consume water, pollute, and offer residents few visible benefits while serving major technology companies. The results suggest that data centers have become a potent political issue, and that communities can punish officials who favor development. The setbacks also threaten plans backed by figures such as Elon Musk, who responded by suggesting data centers might move into space.