Voters Reject Data Centers in 40 of 41 Ballot Measures

Voters across the U.S. overwhelmingly rejected data center projects in Tuesday’s elections, with Big Tech winning only one of 41 ballot measures, a small victory in Harwood, North Dakota. The results signal a major public backlash against the industry. The measures included outright bans, moratoriums, and new zoning restrictions, with anti-data center sides favored by over 70% of the vote in each contest. In California, a full ban in Alhambra led with 81.84%, mirroring a similar ban approved in Monterey Park in June. Tech leaders have remained quiet, though Elon Musk joked about space-based data centers. Companies like OpenAI and Meta are launching public relations efforts to counter opposition, as polls show 71% of Americans oppose local data center construction.