Voters in the latest US elections supported candidates and ballot measures favoring tighter restrictions on artificial intelligence and data centers, putting pressure on the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure associated with President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Redbud Consulting tracked 44 data center measures across 10 states and reported that 38 had passed. The measures included moratoriums and bans. Analysts said they were unlikely to affect facilities already under construction or approved through 2027, but could constrain projects planned for 2028 and beyond.
Only one measure supporting a data center passed. In North Dakota, developers must fund independent reviews and hold public hearings when proposing projects or expansions, a requirement that still adds scrutiny to the industry’s plans.
Voters also elected candidates who had pledged to curb AI development in states expected to add substantial data center capacity. In Texas, Democratic challenger Gina Hinojosa won the governor’s race. Axios described the result as a potential disruption to Trump’s AI expansion plans, while Bloomberg reported that developers now face a worst-case scenario.
Texas was expected to account for more than 41 percent of added US data center capacity in 2028, according to Axios. Hinojosa has said she intends to delay projects until legislation addresses their effects on water, electricity, air quality and property rights. Bloomberg reported that about 13 gigawatts of data center capacity could be affected.
GLJ Research’s Gordon Johnson said projects that already have power, permits and steel in place would continue, while those with power but without state environmental permits could be delayed by 12 to 18 months. Some projects could move to Louisiana or Georgia, or be abandoned, Bloomberg reported.
A note from Johnson said Hinojosa would impose a moratorium until laws give communities a voice, protect household utility bills and end tax incentives for data centers. PIMCO public policy head Libby Cantrill also warned that, even without statewide moratoriums, developers could face longer permitting processes and be required to make more concessions.
Sources: Ars Technica.