Towns and regions across the US voted in bans, moratoria, and other restrictions on data centers during the midterm elections. Ohio had the most, with at least 14 measures passed, including outright bans in Granville, Hubbard, Piqua, Upper Sandusky, and Urbana. In Maine, North Berwick banned facilities of 25,000 square feet or more, while Peru, Wells, Eliot, and Wiscasset backed moratoria. El Dorado, Kansas, approved a ten-year ban on 'high impact' data centers and large battery storage; courts have yet to decide whether the Emporia and Ottawa votes have force.
The measures span at least ten states, from Ohio and Maine to California, Florida, Nevada, and Wisconsin, and show opposition turning into binding local rules. In exit polls, 56 percent of voters said AI data centers were at least a major factor in their Congressional vote. Developers now face ballot-driven limits on size, power use, and water consumption that can stop projects at the local level.
Headline describes a nationwide roundup of local moratoria and restrictions adopted by votes, a formal government action covering many US jurisdictions. It is broader than the already-published Ohio-only story, though it may overlap with it.