This tiny North Dakota town was the only place to vote against restricting data centers
Among 45 data center propositions on the ballot during the midterms, only one small town voted against reining them in.
In Harwood, North Dakota, a town of 940 people, voters decisively rejected a measure that would have required public hearings before the construction of data centers. Harwood was the only place among 45 U.S. locations where a proposition in favor of data centers received support, according to Redbud Consulting, a ballot tracking firm.
The town's opposition to data centers stems from concerns about the potential disruption to its community, as a $3 billion AI data center under construction near Harwood is expected to employ about 200 people, which accounts for roughly 20% of the town's population. The measure, which aimed to protect residents' influence over future construction projects, was seen as an attempt to prevent quick approvals and to ensure local input in the decision-making process.
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