US Voters Reject AI Data Center Proposals in Midterms and Elect Opposition Officials

Voters across the US overwhelmingly rejected AI data center proposals in the midterm elections, with 38 out of more than 40 ballot measures voted down across 13 states. The results led to outright bans on data centers in six cities and megawatt-scale power caps in 12 cities. Several officials backing data center expansion were ousted, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who championed making the state a computing hub, losing by more than 700,000 votes. Primary voter concerns included data centers driving up residential electricity bills, consuming water supplies, and encroaching on community spaces.