Data centres on the ballot: could the AI infrastructure shape US midterms?
Summary
As voters prepare to cast ballots in the U.S. midterms, residents in dozens of local jurisdictions will also decide measures affecting data-centre construction. The facilities house the chips and servers used by AI services, but their rapid growth and high electricity use have fueled opposition across party lines.Key Facts
- A Gallup poll in May found that seven in ten Americans oppose a data centre being built in their area.
- Gallup’s latest poll ranked data centres ahead of climate change as an important issue for residents ahead of the midterm election.
- Reuters reported that voters in 38 local jurisdictions will consider at least 41 measures on data centres.
- The measures could delay, ban or set new rules for data centres.
- Ohio has 21 of the jurisdictions considering measures, with Democrats and Republicans joining opposition efforts.
- Data centres house the chips and servers used by AI services such as ChatGPT and Claude.
- The article says data centres’ rapid growth and high electricity use have sparked opposition in the United States and worldwide.
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