Politics
Ohio Voters Reject Data Center Expansion at the Ballot Box
In a rebuke to the power-hungry facilities, Ohioans joined voters nationwide in electing data center critics and approving more than 30 local measures to curb their growth.
Ohio voters delivered a clear message on Election Day: they are not willing to accept the unchecked proliferation of data centers without a fight. Alongside a slate of Democratic candidates who campaigned against the facilities, voters across dozens of counties and municipalities approved more than 30 ballot measures aimed at reining in the industry, according to a national tally.
The anti-data center wave was felt most prominently in Ohio's U.S. Senate race, where Sherrod Brown, a three-term Democrat ousted in 2024, won back his seat. Brown's campaign framed his Republican opponent as "the face of data centers," a strategy that resonated with voters concerned about the facilities' strain on the power grid and water resources. The tactic did cost Brown some support from longtime union allies who view data centers as sources of construction jobs, but the trade-off proved successful.
The story in Ohio mirrors a broader national trend. A year after Virginians elected Democrat Abigail Spanberger as governor on a promise to check data center power demand, the issue has become a winning campaign theme across Great Lakes states and beyond. Michigan voters sent Democrat Abdul El-Sayed to the U.S. Senate after he made data center regulation a centerpiece of his campaign, and Democrat William Lawrence won a U.S. House seat after organizing against a proposed facility at a local council meeting.
In Georgia, Sen. Jon Ossoff won reelection handily after criticizing data centers and investigating their impact on rising power bills. Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms has pledged a "pause" on new construction when she takes office in January. Texas Democrats James Talarico and Gina Hinojosa scored historic wins for U.S. Senate and governor, respectively, after promising a slate of regulations.
The electoral backlash was strong enough that even some Republicans promised restrictions. Michigan Senate candidate Mike Rogers called for a one-year moratorium. But not all Republicans were rewarded for siding with the industry: South Carolina Sen. Darline Graham, who benefited from an industry-funded ad campaign, lost a seat she had been expected to retain.
Data center developers had increasingly set their sights on Great Lakes states like Ohio, drawn by abundant water resources. But the facilities' intense demand for electricity and water has sparked growing local opposition, and this election cycle demonstrated that the issue can mobilize voters across party lines. The more than 30 ballot measures approved nationwideâincluding in Ohioâsignal that communities are demanding a greater say in how and where these facilities are built.
For Ohio, the results mean that the data center debate is far from over. With Brown returning to the Senate and local measures on the books, the state is poised to become a key battleground in the national fight over the industry's footprint.