Data Center Backers Suffer Near-Total Midterm Defeats Across the Country

The 2026 midterm election results in the United States reflect a significant shift against data centers and AI, with voters rejecting many proposed projects and restrictions on their construction. This backlash against data centers and AI stems from concerns over high electricity bills, water use, environmental impacts, and job displacement.

President Donald Trump and Republican candidates, backed heavily by data center proponents, invested millions into supporting these industries, but their efforts were largely unsuccessful. In fact, in 40 election-day measures across the country, 39 resulted in restrictions on new data center builds, with only one initiative in Harwood, North Dakota, favoring expansion.

Ohio led with 21 such measures, all favoring restrictions. Other states with voting measures included Maine, Illinois, Kansas, New Jersey, California, Florida, Nevada, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Some proposed restrictions focused on megawatt caps on data center energy use, while others addressed zoning issues or required voter approval for data center projects.

A few proposed outright bans on new data centers, and six of those were successful. Polls indicate that Americans are growing increasingly opposed to data centers due to financial, environmental, and job-related concerns. This shift in public opinion is likely to influence tech companies and data center firms, leading to increased scrutiny by Democratic-controlled Congress.

The midterms could result in more restrictive policies for data centers, including demands for communities to pay taxes, fund power plants, and contribute to local resources.