🔍 Read the full analysis: 46 Of 47 Local Votes Opposed Data Centers: A Closer Look on ThorstenMeyerAI.com
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TL;DR
A public tracker lists 47 local data-center measures on Nov. 3 ballots across 10 states, with the restrictive side winning or leading in 46 as of Nov. 5. The results are unofficial, and the measures range from bans to temporary pauses and advisory questions, so the tally does not mean voters approved 46 identical bans.
A public tracker of 47 local data-center measures on Nov. 3 ballots across 10 states shows the restrictive side winning or leading in 46 races, according to results posted by midday Nov. 5. The tally is unofficial, and the measures covered different policies—including outright bans, limits on facility size, rezoning decisions and advisory questions—rather than a single nationwide vote on data centers.
The tracker, Data Centers on the Ballot, was built by Redbud Consulting. It groups differently worded ballot questions into two broad outcomes, “Restrict” and “Allow.” At 12:30 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 5, it listed results for all 47 measures: 41 counts were complete and six were still being counted. Harwood, North Dakota, was the sole measure where the Allow side led.
The tracker’s combined count was 260,177 votes, with 72.8% cast on the Restrict side. That figure combines distinct local questions and should not be read as a single statewide or national referendum. The tracker says its results are not certified. The article’s author independently checked seven results against official election sites in Kansas, Nevada, Florida and North Dakota; those seven matched the tracker’s figures.
Several local results illustrate the range of decisions. In Hubbard, Ohio, voters supported a ban on data centers of any size by 2,622 to 802, or 76.6% to 23.4%, according to the unofficial count. In Boulder City, Nevada, voters rejected a proposal to allow data centers on city-owned desert land, with 2,064 votes in favor and 4,947 against. In Harwood, North Dakota, a measure to review rules for large projects drew 105 yes votes and 325 no votes, but the tracker classified that result as the one Allow-side lead.
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.
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Local Votes Shape Data Center Siting
The results point to a growing local approval risk for developers considering new data-center sites. Depending on the measure, voters may be able to block a project, restrict its size, reject a land-use change or require a public vote before development proceeds. Those rules can affect project schedules and whether a proposed site remains viable.
The consequences are not uniform. Some measures concern future development rather than facilities already being built, while others are advisory and do not themselves change local law. A tally of 46 restrictive outcomes therefore signals substantial local opposition in these ballot questions, but it does not establish that 46 communities enacted binding bans or that existing data centers must close.
The debate also connects local land-use decisions to the resources data centers require. The source report notes that polling respondents who oppose projects cite water and energy, while supporters point to jobs and tax revenue. The ballot questions themselves often set limits in megawatts or gallons per day, making infrastructure use part of the practical policy dispute.
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Why the Measure Count Changed
Early reports cited 45 measures, based on the tracker’s Nov. 4 morning count. At 6:16 a.m. Eastern that day, it showed 45 questions, 40 with results: Restrict led in 39, Allow in one, and five had no posted results. The tracker later added a non-binding question in Belvidere, New Jersey, and a charter amendment in Piqua, Ohio, bringing its total to 47.
Other published totals differ because organizations use different definitions and lists. Ballotpedia counted 41 measures in 10 states before the election. The source report says the tracker included more Maine, Kansas and New Jersey questions than Ballotpedia. Another outlet’s “40-plus races across 13 states” count also included recalls and candidate races, not only data-center ballot measures.
The tracker’s Restrict/Allow categories make it possible to summarize a varied ballot, but they also compress important differences. Measures included outright bans, size caps—often around 25 megawatts—temporary moratoriums, rezoning referendums, requirements for voter approval and non-binding advisory questions. In Wilmington, Ohio, voters reversed four council decisions rezoning rural land for data centers; other communities considered different kinds of restrictions.
“Nothing on the page is certified.”
— Data Centers on the Ballot tracker
Certification and Policy Effects Remain Open
Final certified totals are not available in the source material. Six measures were still counting as of 12:30 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 5, and election-night figures can change before certification. The author checked seven results against official election sources; the remaining results were taken from the tracker and, where available, local reporting.
The overall 46-of-47 framing also depends on the tracker’s classification method. Because it maps distinct questions to Restrict or Allow, it does not mean each community voted on the same policy. The supplied material does not provide the full text and legal effect of every measure, nor does it establish how each result will be implemented or whether any measure will face a legal challenge.
It is also not clear from the available information how many measures affect projects already under construction, as opposed to proposed future facilities. The report says many votes target future projects, but does not give a complete project-by-project accounting. That distinction matters when assessing the immediate effect on developers and residents.
Final Counts and Local Implementation
Election officials still need to complete and certify results, including the six counts listed as ongoing on Nov. 5. Until that process is complete, the tracker’s 46-of-47 figure remains a snapshot of unofficial results, not a final certified tally.
After certification, the practical effect will depend on the wording and legal status of each local measure. Communities may need to apply new rules through zoning, permitting or public-vote procedures; advisory questions may require separate action by local officials. The source material does not specify a common implementation timeline or a single next date for all 47 communities.
For developers and residents, the next developments to watch are the final local counts, any official guidance on how binding measures will be enforced, and whether proposed projects must return to voters or meet new limits. The election results show the direction of local votes; they do not, by themselves, settle every project’s future.
Key Questions
What does the 46-of-47 figure mean?
The Data Centers on the Ballot tracker classified the restrictive side as winning or leading in 46 of 47 local measures as of Nov. 5. Results were unofficial, and six counts were still ongoing.
Did 46 communities vote to ban data centers?
No. The measures included bans, size limits, temporary moratoriums, zoning referendums, voter-approval rules and advisory questions. The combined total does not mean 46 binding bans were enacted.
Where was the exception?
Harwood, North Dakota, was the only measure where the tracker showed the Allow side leading. The source report listed 105 yes votes and 325 no votes on a measure concerning review rules for large projects.
Are the results final?
No. The tracker marked results as unofficial and not certified. As of midday Nov. 5, six counts were still being completed.
Why did early reports say 45 measures?
The tracker listed 45 measures on the morning after the election, then added a Belvidere, New Jersey, advisory question and a Piqua, Ohio, charter amendment. Different outlets also use different criteria for what counts as a data-center measure.
Source: ThorstenMeyerAI.com
