Were Voters Rejecting Data Centers Or Something Else?

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The restriction side won or led in 46 of 47 local measures concerning data centers on the Nov. 3 ballot, according to an updated count by Data Centers on the Ballot, a tracker built by Redbud Consulting. The measures appeared in 10 states, but they asked voters to decide different things—from outright bans to temporary pauses and advisory questions—and none of the results was certified as of Nov. 5.

The tracker reported 47 measures with results by 12:30 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 5. It classified each outcome as either “Restrict” or “Allow,” regardless of the wording on the ballot. Across the reported measures, it counted 260,177 votes, with 72.8% on the Restrict side. That is a combined count across unlike questions, not a single statewide or national referendum.

At least 41 counts were complete for election night, while six were still being counted, the tracker said. Its tally is unofficial, and the report says it independently checked seven results against county or state election sites; those seven matched the tracker. For other races, the report relied on the tracker’s linked sources and local reporting.

The apparent count changed after election night. At 6:16 a.m. Eastern on Nov. 4, the tracker listed 45 measures, with results posted for 40. It later added a non-binding question in Belvidere, New Jersey, and a charter amendment in Piqua, Ohio. Ballotpedia listed 41 measures before the vote, reflecting different decisions about which ballot questions to include.

Local Votes Shape Data Center Plans

The results show that local approval has become a practical issue for data-center developers, particularly where proposed projects require rezoning, public land or changes to local rules. In some communities, voters made a direct decision about whether a project or class of facilities could proceed. In others, they set conditions for future proposals or expressed an advisory preference.

The debate carries competing local concerns. The source report says polling by Gallup found opponents commonly cite water use and energy demand, while supporters point to jobs and tax revenue. Some ballot texts addressed those concerns through specific limits measured in megawatts or gallons per day. The election tally alone does not establish why individual voters chose one side.

For companies, the implications depend on each measure’s legal effect and the status of a proposed site. A binding ban or zoning decision may restrict a future project; an advisory vote may not change local law by itself. The report says many measures concerned future development rather than campuses already under construction, but the effect on any particular project requires reviewing the relevant ballot language and local rules.

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One Tally, Different Ballot Questions

The phrase “voters rejected data centers” compresses a varied set of decisions into one label. According to the source report, 37 measures were binding and 10 were advisory. Ballots included outright prohibitions, size caps—often at 25 megawatts—temporary moratoriums, rezoning referendums, requirements for a public vote, and questions about development agreements.

Hubbard, Ohio, asked whether data centers of any size should be banned within city limits. The unofficial count reported there was 2,622 votes for the ban and 802 against, or 76.6% in favor. Wilmington, Ohio, voters overturned four council decisions that had rezoned rural land for data centers, while Boulder City, Nevada, voters rejected a proposal to open city-owned desert land to them. Those outcomes concerned different local decisions, not a common nationwide ban.

The numbers reported the morning after the election were not necessarily contradictory. The tracker’s scope differs from Ballotpedia’s, including a different count of measures in Maine, Kansas and New Jersey. Another report described “40+ races across 13 states” using a broader category that included recalls and candidate races. The source article says the tracker’s open data and update history can be reviewed, while stressing that its results are not certified.

““Restrict””

— Data Centers on the Ballot, the Redbud Consulting tracker

Certification and Local Effects

Certification was still pending as of Nov. 5, and six counts were still being completed. The 46-of-47 figure therefore describes the tracker’s unofficial status at that time, not a final certified tally. The tracker’s categories also combine unlike questions, so the total should not be read as 46 communities voting for identical restrictions.

The source report independently checked seven results, not all 47. It said some election-office records were difficult to access or available only as scanned documents; for the remaining results, it relied on the tracker’s links and local reporting where available. The report identifies Harwood, North Dakota, as the exception to the Restrict-side lead: its measure on review rules for large projects was reported at 105 yes to 325 no.

For each community, the precise consequences depend on the measure’s wording, whether it is binding, and how officials apply it. The tally does not establish whether existing facilities are affected, how a rule will be implemented, or whether any measure will face a legal challenge.

Final Counts and Local Implementation

The immediate next step is for local election authorities to complete and certify results. Until then, the tracker’s figures may change, especially in the six races it described as still counting. Readers should check the relevant county or state election office for the official result rather than treating the combined tracker as a certified record.

After certification, local governments will need to determine how binding measures affect zoning, permits, public land or future approval procedures. Advisory questions may instead guide debate without changing rules on their own. For developers and residents, the next meaningful developments will be decisions tied to specific sites and ordinances—not simply the overall 46-of-47 headline.

Key Questions

Did voters reject data centers in 46 places?

Not in one uniform sense. The tracker said the restriction side won or led in 46 of 47 measures, but the questions included bans, caps, moratoriums, rezoning decisions and advisory votes. The tally does not mean 46 places adopted an outright ban.

Were the results final?

No. As of Nov. 5, 2026, the results were unofficial; six counts were still underway, and certification had not been completed.

Why did reports give different numbers of measures?

They used different inclusion rules. The tracker listed 47 measures after adding two later, while Ballotpedia listed 41 before the vote. A separate report’s count also included recalls and candidate races.

What was the exception to the restriction-side lead?

The tracker identified Harwood, North Dakota. Its measure on review rules for large projects was reported at 105 votes for and 325 against, an outcome the tracker classified as the exception.

What happens to projects affected by these votes?

That depends on the local ballot language and whether the measure is binding. Some votes may change rules or zoning, while advisory questions may not alter law by themselves. Local officials’ implementation decisions remain to come.

Source: ThorstenMeyerAI.com