American Voters Overwhelmingly Reject AI Data Centers

Key Points:

• In over 40 races across 13 states during the midterm elections, voters overwhelmingly rejected data center-related proposals, with 38 measures defeated and several cities banning or limiting data center power usage.
• Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, a strong proponent of data centers who accepted over $9 million from related donors, lost his bid for a fourth term to Democrat Gina Hinojosa, who campaigned against data center expansion.
• Anti-data center candidates won key races nationwide, including in Kentucky, Kansas, and Oklahoma, reflecting widespread public opposition due to concerns about environmental impact and rising utility costs.
• Local Progress, a network of elected officials, highlighted the election results as a clear message that communities oppose data centers and encouraged local leaders to resist pressure from Big Tech companies.
• Elon Musk, who invested heavily in midterm campaigns to support data center projects, faced setbacks with Abbott's defeat and hinted at exploring space-based data centers as a new frontier.