Election Day voters in 13 states to decide the fate of data centers in their backyards

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 ...