Voters Across the U.S. Deliver Sharp Rebuke to Big Tech Data Centers

In a decisive display of local organizing, Americans voted in favor of 43 out of 44 ballot initiatives aimed at pausing or banning the construction of large-scale data centers. From Ohio to Maine, residents mobilized to stop projects they fear will strain local power grids, deplete water resources, and degrade neighborhood quality of life. In Sunbury, Ohio, over 78% of voters backed a moratorium on facilities exceeding 25 megawatts, effectively stalling a planned $2 billion Amazon development. Similar sentiments prevailed in Granville, Hubbard, and Urbana, where voters approved bans by wide margins.

The Shift in Political Power

The electoral pushback extended to high-level races, with candidates campaigning on restrictive data center policies securing key victories. In Ohio, Amy Acton won the governorship after pledging a statewide moratorium, while Sherrod Brown successfully framed his opponent, Jon Husted, as a proxy for tech interests. Similar dynamics played out in Georgia and Texas, where governors-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms and Gina Hinojosa ran on platforms demanding greater accountability for the industry. Food and Water Action, a advocacy group, described the results as a clear rejection of the reckless build-out of hyperscale sites. As the lame-duck Congress convenes, these newly elected officials face pressure to stall federal permitting reforms that would otherwise accelerate the industry's footprint.