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Unofficial results compiled by Data Centers on the Ballot show measures restricting data centers winning or leading in 46 of 47 local votes across 10 states. The questions ranged from outright bans to temporary pauses and advisory polls, and the results are not yet certified.
Voters backed or were leading on data center restrictions in 46 of 47 local measures on November 3, according to an unofficial tally by Data Centers on the Ballot, a tracker maintained by Redbud Consulting. The measures appeared in 10 states, but differed substantially: some would ban or limit projects, while others asked advisory questions or required future public approval.
As of 12:30 p.m. Eastern on November 5, the tracker listed all 47 measures with results. It classified 46 outcomes as favoring restrictions and one as favoring development; six races were still counting, and none of the results had been certified. Across the measures, the tracker counted 260,177 votes, with 72.8% on the side it labeled “Restrict.”
In Hubbard, Ohio, an unofficial count showed 2,622 votes for a citywide ban and 802 against. Wilmington, Ohio, voters overturned four council decisions that had rezoned rural land for data centers. In Boulder City, Nevada, voters rejected a proposal to open city-owned desert land to data centers, with 4,947 voting no and 2,064 voting yes, according to the Clark County results cited by the tracker.
The reported number of measures changed after election day. The tracker showed 45 on the morning of November 4, then added an advisory question in Belvidere, New Jersey, and a charter amendment in Piqua, Ohio. Ballotpedia listed 41 measures before the vote, using a different count. The tracker’s inclusion rules cover data center bans, caps, zoning votes, developer agreements and advisory questions.
What Communities Chose When Data Centers Came Up for a Vote
Unofficial results show local voters favoring restrictions in nearly every measure, though the questions and their effects varied.
What voters considered
Ballot questions covered several approaches to shaping local projects.
Block projects
Some proposals sought to ban data centers outright.
Set project caps
Some measures limited project size, often at 25 megawatts.
Pause development
Temporary moratoriums would delay projects.
Require a public vote
Some rules put future project approval to voters.
Examples from the ballot
Local outcomes addressed specific land use and project decisions.
- 2,622 votes for a citywide ban
- 802 votes against
- 4,947 votes against opening city-owned desert land
- 2,064 votes in favor
What the tally means
Local approval may shape where and how companies can pursue projects.
Six measures were still being counted as of November 5.
The reported totals remain unofficial, and none had been certified.
Binding measures and advisory questions can have different effects on local decisions.
Local Votes Shape Project Rules
The results show that local approval has become a practical factor for companies considering data center sites. Some measures target future projects or require voters to approve them, meaning developers may face additional local hurdles even where a general ban did not pass.
The ballot questions also put concerns over electricity and water use alongside arguments about jobs and tax revenue. The source article cites Gallup polling in which opponents named water and energy, while supporters cited employment and public revenue. The tally alone does not establish why voters chose as they did, and the measures cannot be treated as a single statewide or national referendum.
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Different Questions, Different Effects
The tracker groups differently worded questions by their likely outcome: “Restrict” or “Allow.” That makes it possible to summarize many local votes, but a shared label does not mean the measures have the same legal effect. The source material says 37 measures are binding and 10 are advisory. Proposals include outright bans, limits often set at 25 megawatts, temporary moratoriums, rezoning referendums and rules requiring a public vote before approval.
The November 4 count of 45 measures included 40 with results: 39 favored restrictions, one favored allowing data centers, and five had no results posted at that time. The tracker later added two measures. Other tallies differ because they use different inclusion rules: Ballotpedia listed fewer measures, while a 404 Media count included recalls and candidate races as well as data center votes.
The source article says its author checked seven results against county or state election sites in Kansas, Nevada, Florida and North Dakota; those results matched the tracker. For the remaining measures, including those in Ohio, the author relied on the tracker’s links to official sources and local reporting. The overall tally remains unofficial, and the article says the tracker itself notes that results are not certified.
Certification and Local Effects
Final certified totals are not yet available, and six measures were still being counted as of November 5. The supplied source does not identify which six were outstanding or give a date when all results are expected to be certified.
The 46-to-1 summary depends on how measures are classified and counted. It also does not show whether a restriction will affect an existing project, what legal steps follow each vote, or how local governments will implement binding outcomes. The source notes that many measures concern future projects, but gives no complete project-by-project assessment.
Final Counts and Local Decisions
Election offices must finish counting and certify the results before the unofficial tally can be treated as final. After that, the effect of each binding measure will depend on its ballot language and local process; advisory questions may inform officials without changing rules on their own.
For proposed data centers, the next developments will be local: whether governments revise zoning or permitting rules, whether voters must approve projects, and how companies respond to restrictions. The available source does not provide a timeline for those decisions.
Key Questions
How many local data center measures were on the ballot?
Data Centers on the Ballot listed 47 measures in 10 states as of November 5. Ballotpedia listed 41 before election day because the sources used different counting rules.
Did voters reject data centers in all 47 places?
No. The tracker said restrictions won or led in 46 measures, while one favored allowing data centers. The questions also varied, and some were advisory rather than binding.
Are the results final?
No. The counts were unofficial as of November 5, six measures were still counting, and no results had been certified.
What kinds of restrictions did voters consider?
The measures included bans, size limits, temporary pauses, zoning referendums and requirements for a public vote. The source says 37 measures were binding and 10 were advisory.
Source: Thorsten Meyer AI
