US voters roundly reject data centers in ballot measures

American voters overwhelmingly rejected data centers in ballot measures across more than 30 localities in nine states, with residents voting for moratoriums, bans, and operational constraints on AI infrastructure projects. The widespread opposition has alarmed investors in the AI buildout and prompted even Republican candidates like Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to promise stricter regulation, while financial institutions are now treating local opposition as a credit risk. Tech companies are responding by hiring community liaisons and attempting to rebrand data centers as "compute campuses" to counter the growing public backlash.