WASHINGTON — Voters in 13 states will decide the future of data centers when they go to the polls on Tuesday, as the power behind artificial intelligence faces its biggest test.
There are 41 data center-related measures on ballots in November, according to the elections website Ballotpedia.
Many of them are tied to local municipalities and deal with a variety of issues, including whether residents want them in their backyards and the regulations regarding their use.
There are around 3,172 active data centers in the country with another 5,098 in the pipeline, according to website Cleanview’s data center map.
Ohio, by far, has the most measures, 21 across 18 jurisdictions. Some would prohibit the centers from being built, some would require voter approval before construction can start and others are tied to zoning regulations.
With 200 data centers, one of the biggest concentrations in the country, Ohio has become ground zero in the fight.
President Trump, who campaigned in the state multiple times in the lead-up to the midterm election, has made clear where he stands.
“There’s so much money to be made for Ohio. You can’t just turn them off. They’ll go to China,” Trump told supporters at a campaign rally in early October.
The president has pushed a number of executive orders to try and warm voters up to the centers, including requiring them to pay for their own electricity. Surging electrical costs turned off many Americans. In Ohio, the average household’s electric bill rose about 15% in the past year.
And polls show despite the presidential endorsement, a majority of voters still disapprove of the massive centers, citing the high energy costs and concerns about the environmental impact.
In fact, the surge in data center development has triggered a bipartisan backlash across the country as communities grapple with the enormous amounts of electricity, water and land required to power the facilities.
A September Pew poll found that more than half of Americans — 54% — say data centers are bad for the environment, up from 39% in January. Half say they are bad for home energy costs, up from 38%. And 49% say they are bad for people’s quality of life nearby, up from 30%.
In Ohio, the issue has trickled into the Senate race, showing that lawmakers are not immune from the issue.
Democrat Sherrod Brown, the former senator attempting to make a comeback, is attempting to paint his opponent, the incumbent Republican Sen. Jon Husted, as “the face of data centers.” Husted, as lieutenant governor, championed data-center growth in the state, including giving the centers an estimated $2.5 billion in incentives.
For his part, Husted has accused Brown of hypocrisy, pointing to Brown’s past support for data centers.
Husted also came up with another solution: sponsoring a bill in Congress that would require data centers to pay for power grid upgrades and other costs associated with their massive energy use.
It’s unclear how much of an impact that issue will have on the competitive race. Democrats have tried to harness the issue for their candidates as part of their push to stoke voter anger at Republicans.
In this election cycle, there has been $137.6 million spent on ads about data centers, with Democrats making up 77% of that, according to the firm AdImpact.
Here are the other states where data centers are on the ballot:
California
One measure in Alhambra, which would prohibit data centers in the city
Florida
One measure in Edgewater that would prohibit new data centers from being approved, constructed, expanded, or operated within the city.
Illinois
There are a total of seven measures on various ballots in the state.
Two cities have measures that would prohibit data centers in their jurisdictions; Joliet County has a measure to approve building data centers; and four counties have zoning-related measures related to data centers.
Kansas
Three counties have measures to prohibit data centers in their jurisdictions
Maine
Four different counties are voting on the issue. North Berwick has a measure to prohibit data centers, and three other counties would place a temporary moratorium on applications for data centers.
North Dakota
The city of Harwood would require additional review before data centers are built.
New Jersey
One measure in Downe Township asking for support of the centers.
Nevada
One measure that would allow data centers within the Eldorado Valley Transfer Area.
Wisconsin
The city of Janesville has a measure that would require voter approval before the city may lease, sell, transfer, or approve development of data centers.
