NRT briefing
Voters Approved Data Center Restrictions or Moratoriums in 40 of 41 Local Ballot Measures
Based on reporting by Breitbart.
The Brief
Voters in Tuesday’s midterm elections approved data center restrictions or moratoriums in 40 of 41 local ballot measures across 10 states, according to a CNBC tally cited by Breitbart. The measures included bans or restrictions in at least 14 Ohio municipalities, eight temporary moratoriums in Maine, and a ban on high-impact data centers in Emporia, Kansas, following a proposed gigawatt-scale project. The lone exception was Hardwood, North Dakota, where voters rejected restrictions.
The wave extended to governor’s races, with Democrats Gina Hinojosa in Texas and Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia winning on pledges to restrict data center construction, while Ohio’s Amy Acton made similar promises. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had already signed strict regulations in May.
Wall Street analyst Dan Ives said the results, particularly Hinojosa’s win in Texas, will slow data center buildout and complicate federal AI legislation, noting Texas accounts for an estimated 25% to 30% of U.S. data center capacity.
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