🔍 Read the full analysis: 46 Data Center Ballot Votes Went One Way. Here’s What Voters Decided on ThorstenMeyerAI.com
Prime made for students and young adults
- Fast, free delivery for dorm and study essentials
- Prime Video and Amazon Music included
- Member-only deals
TL;DR
A public tracker lists 47 local data center measures on the November 3 ballot across 10 states. As of November 5, the side favoring restrictions had won or was leading in 46, but the measures ranged from outright bans to advisory questions, and results were still unofficial.
Voters in 10 states considered 47 local measures about data centers on November 3, and the side favoring restrictions had won or was leading in 46 as of November 5, according to the Data Centers on the Ballot tracker. The results remain unofficial, and the measures did not all propose the same thing: they included bans, limits, zoning decisions and advisory questions.
The tracker, maintained by polling and data firm Redbud Consulting, reported that 41 counts were complete and six were still being counted. Across the measures, it recorded 260,177 votes, with 72.8% on the side it classifies as “Restrict.” That label groups together different proposals and outcomes; it does not mean every voter cast a ballot on a direct ban.
The sole measure where the tracker showed the “Allow” side ahead was in Harwood, North Dakota, on rules for reviewing large projects. The tracker’s figures were not certified. The source report says it independently checked seven results against official election sites in Kansas, Nevada, Florida and North Dakota, and those results matched the tracker. For the other measures, it relied on the tracker’s links to local sources and on local reporting.
Some results were clear-cut in the source report. In Hubbard, Ohio, an unofficial count showed 2,622 votes for banning data centers of any size within city limits and 802 against, or 76.6% in favor of the ban. In Boulder City, Nevada, voters rejected a proposal to open city-owned desert land to data centers, with 2,064 votes in favor and 4,947 against, according to the unofficial count cited in the report.
Infographic 01 · Data centers on the ballot
Where “45 measures” comes from
One public tracker did the counting. Its numbers grew as results and late additions came in. We checked seven results against official election sites.
local ballot measures on data centers went against them on unofficial counts, 5 Nov 2026, 12:30 p.m. ET. The one exception: Harwood, North Dakota.
- 3 NovBallotpedia: 41 measuresListed before the vote · 10 states
- 4 Nov, 6:16 a.m.Tracker: 45 measures40 with results · 39 against data centers, 1 for
- 4 NovHeadlines: “45 measures”33 won, 6 leading, 1 lost, 5 not reported
- 5 Nov, 12:30 p.m.Tracker: 47 measuresAll with results · 46 against, 1 for · 6 still counting
- Emporia, KSban over 10 MW · Lyon County4,346 : 2,891
- Americus, KSban · Lyon County274 : 127
- El Dorado, KSten-year ban · Butler County2,972 : 1,183
- Ottawa, KSban over 25 MW · Franklin County2,882 : 1,129
- Edgewater, FLcharter ban · Volusia County7,875 : 2,328
- Boulder City, NVallow data centers? · Clark County2,064 : 4,947
- Harwood, NDreview rules · ND Secretary of State105 : 325
Yes : No, unofficial. All seven match the tracker to the vote.
- Ballotpedia lists 4 Maine measures, the tracker 8; Kansas 3 vs 4; New Jersey 1 vs 2. That is the gap from 41 to 47.
- The tracker added Belvidere (NJ) and Piqua (OH) after the first reports, so 45 became 47.
- 404 Media’s “40+ races in 13 states” also counts recalls and candidate races.
- Wilmington, Ohio alone accounts for 4 measures: one vote per rezoned parcel.
Sources: Data Centers on the Ballot (Redbud Consulting), 5 Nov 2026, 12:30 p.m. ET · Ballotpedia, 3 Nov 2026 · official results of Lyon, Butler and Franklin County (KS), Volusia County (FL), Clark County (NV), North Dakota Secretary of State. Nothing is certified yet.
Powered by Thorsten Meyer AI
Local Votes Shape Data Center Plans
The results show that local approval has become a potential hurdle for data center projects in some communities. The measures can affect whether projects may be built, what size they can reach, where they may go, or whether residents must vote before a development proceeds. For companies choosing sites, those rules could change the timeline and certainty of local approvals.
The votes also register public concern about the resources and land used by large facilities. The source report says polling by Gallup found opponents commonly cite water and energy use, while supporters point to jobs and tax revenue. Those are reported arguments, not findings established by the ballot totals. The variety of measures means the overall count indicates broad support for restrictions as classified by the tracker, but it cannot by itself show which concerns drove each local result.
Many measures address future proposals rather than data center campuses already under construction, according to the source report. Their practical effect will depend on the wording of each measure, local implementation and how project proposals are handled under the resulting rules.
Popular right now
Apple AirPods Pro 3 Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation
KitchenAid 5.5-Qt Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer, Porcelain White (KSM55SXXX)
De'Longhi Dinamica Plus Fully Automatic Espresso Machine
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Why the Measure Count Changed
Early reports used a count of 45 measures. That figure matched the tracker on the morning after Election Day, when it listed 45 ballot questions and results for 40. The tracker later added a non-binding question in Belvidere, New Jersey, and a charter amendment in Piqua, Ohio, bringing its total to 47 by midday November 5.
Other tallies differ because they define and count ballot measures differently. Ballotpedia listed 41 measures in 10 states before the vote, while the tracker included eight Maine town measures rather than four, four Kansas measures rather than three, and two New Jersey measures rather than one. Another report’s count of “40+ races across 13 states” also included recalls and candidate races, according to the source material.
The tracker maps differently worded questions to “Restrict” or “Allow” so they can be summarized together. Among the measures were binding rules and advisory questions, outright bans, size caps often set at 25 megawatts, temporary pauses, zoning referendums and requirements for a public vote. An advisory question may express voter preference without changing local law by itself.
“Nothing on the page is certified.”
— Data Centers on the Ballot tracker
Certification and Local Effects
Final certified totals are not yet available in the source material, and six of the tracker’s 47 counts were still ongoing as of November 5. The source report says it checked seven races against official election sites but could not independently verify all results; some county sites blocked automated access or posted scanned documents. Its account relies on the tracker and local reporting for the remaining measures.
It is also not clear from the aggregate tally what each measure will change in practice. The legal effect depends on whether a question is binding, its precise language and how local authorities apply it. The “46 of 47” figure is the tracker’s grouping of outcomes, not a claim that 46 communities enacted identical bans.
Final Counts and Local Implementation
The next step is for election offices to finish counting and certify results. The tracker may update its figures as those counts are completed. Readers should distinguish unofficial leads from certified outcomes, particularly in the six contests still being counted on November 5.
After certification, local officials will need to apply binding measures according to their terms. Communities that passed advisory questions may still need separate government action before policy changes. The source material does not specify a common implementation timetable, and any future project decisions will depend on the rules in each locality.
Key Questions
Did voters reject data centers in 46 places?
Not exactly. The tracker says the restriction side won or led in 46 of 47 measures, but those measures covered different proposals, including bans, zoning decisions, limits and advisory questions. The tally does not mean 46 identical bans passed.
Are the November 3 results final?
No. The reported results were unofficial as of November 5. The tracker said six counts were still ongoing, and certification had not been completed.
Where was the exception to the restriction trend?
Harwood, North Dakota, was the one measure where the tracker showed the “Allow” side ahead. The question concerned review rules for large projects, rather than a straightforward vote to build a named data center.
Why do reports give different numbers of measures?
They use different counting rules and may include different kinds of races. The tracker reached 47 measures after adding two questions, while Ballotpedia listed 41 before the vote and counted some state and local measures differently.
Will these votes stop data center projects already underway?
The source report says many measures target future projects, not campuses already under construction. The effect of each vote depends on its wording, whether it is binding and how local officials implement it.
Source: ThorstenMeyerAI.com
