US voters just put the brakes on AI data centers

Early results: US voters are backing limits on data centers, per Tom's Hardware.

According to Data Centers on the Ballot, 33 measures restricting data center development have won and six more questions are leading. One has failed, in Harwood, North Dakota, and five have no posted results. The measures range from permanent bans to moratoriums, time-limited actions and limits based on size or consumption.

Separately, The Register reports that Data Center Watch examined the public positions of 74 selected candidates in the 36 states that elected governors on November 3. 43 percent supported a ban or moratorium on new projects, 51 percent backed further regulation or conditional development, and about 5 percent had no stated public position. Support for bans or moratoriums was higher among the Democratic candidates examined (60 percent) than among the Republicans (30 percent). The Register notes that temporary pauses and targeted construction restrictions do not necessarily amount to opposition to all datacenter development.

Schneider Electric says it sees no slowdown in its datacenter business but that operators must be more open with communities about the power, water and land their projects will consume. Schneider supplies datacenter equipment and has a commercial interest in continued construction.

What to watch: whether the votes affect projects already underway. Of 300-plus local bans, only three developments totaling 2.3 gigawatts have been delayed, per Tom's Hardware.

“…the biggest change is the level of transparency from the operators when they're trying to secure permits and when they're requesting power”Steven Carlini, Schneider VP; equipment supplier

The facts we checked

According to Tom's Hardware, citing Data Centers on the Ballot, and The Register, citing Data Center Watch and Schneider Electric

1. According to Data Centers on the Ballot, 33 measures restricting data center development have already won, with six more questions leading.Figure · Tom's Hardware
2. One measure has failed, in Harwood, North Dakota, which adds an extra review process for industrial projects including data centers. Five measures have no posted results.Reported · Tom's Hardware
3. The measures vary widely, from permanent data center bans to moratoriums, time-limited actions, and limits based on size or consumption.Reported · Tom's Hardware
4. A second tracker of some 46 data center measures across 10 states shows all 33 measures to limit data centers set to pass, while 11 of 13 measures to permit data centers look set to be defeated.Reported · Tom's Hardware
5. It is unclear whether the votes will affect projects already underway. Of the 300-plus local data center bans enacted across the US, only three developments totaling 2.3 gigawatts have been delayed.Reported · Tom's Hardware
6. Data Center Watch examined the public positions of 74 selected candidates across the 36 states that elected governors on November 3.Reported · The Register
7. 43 percent of those candidates supported a ban or moratorium on new projects, 51 percent backed further regulation or conditional development, and only about 5 percent had no stated public position.Figure · The Register
8. Support for bans or moratoriums was more common among the Democratic candidates examined (60 percent) than among the Republicans (30 percent).Figure · The Register
9. The Register notes that temporary pauses and targeted construction restrictions do not necessarily amount to opposition to all datacenter development.Reported · The Register
10. Schneider Electric says it sees no slowdown in its datacenter business, but says operators must be more open with communities about the power, water, and land their projects will consume. Schneider supplies datacenter equipment and has a commercial interest in continued construction.Reported · The Register
11. "the one thing that I think is going to be the biggest change is the level of transparency from the operators when they're trying to secure permits and when they're requesting power" — Steven Carlini, Schneider Electric vice president of innovation and datacenterQuote · The Register

Sources

• Tom's HardwareAI data centers comprehensively defeated at US midterm elections — 45 measures put on the ballot as Americans overwhelmingly vote against developments
• The RegisterUS midterm candidates find something to agree on: Reining in datacenters
• The RegisterDatacenter operators must win hearts and minds, not just permits