US voters reject data center expansion and wealth taxes

A Grassroots Push to Brake Data Center Expansion

Voters across 40 U.S. states decided 164 statewide ballot measures on Tuesday, but the most intense battles played out in local voting booths. From industrial zoning to municipal codes, thousands of referendums changed how communities handle growth. Nowhere was this more evident than in the resistance to large-scale data centers.

According to the Washington Post, voters in at least 38 jurisdictions moved to enact bans or significant restrictions on these facilities. The sentiment was overwhelming in some hubs: nearly 80 percent of voters in Joliet, Illinois, backed restrictive measures, while more than three out of four voters in Hubbard, Ohio, did the same. In Janesville, Wisconsin, over 60 percent of the electorate demanded a public referendum before a former automotive plant can be converted for data usage. While Harwood, North Dakota, bucked the trend—with three-quarters of its 800 residents voting against industrial restrictions—the movement carried political weight elsewhere. Candidates running on platforms to slow data center growth found success, including Gina Hinojosa in Texas.

Voters Decide State Constitutional Amendments on Abortion Access

Abortion access remained a sharp dividing line in state-level politics. According to the New York Times, voters in four states weighed in on the issue, yielding mixed results. Majorities in Virginia and Nevada chose to enshrine abortion rights directly into their state constitutions. Meanwhile, in Missouri, a proposal to amend the state constitution to ban the procedure was defeated. The political tide turned in Idaho, however, where voters rejected a proposal that would have permitted abortion, securing a victory for abortion opponents.

Taxing the Ultra-Wealthy Faces Resistance

Economic policy initiatives targeting high earners faced significant hurdles in the West. California voters shot down a proposed one-time 5 percent tax on net worths exceeding $1 billion, a measure specifically aimed at the state’s tech billionaires. It failed with 55 percent of the vote against it. Similarly, in Washington, voters rejected a proposal that sought to repeal an income tax on individuals earning over $1 million annually.

The Regulatory Crackdown on Foie Gras

Animal welfare advocates won key victories in urban centers, though enforcement remains a looming question. Washington D.C. approved a ban on the sale of foie gras with 73 percent of the vote, as reported by The Hill. The policy mandates fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 for restaurants serving the product, with repeat violations threatening the loss of a business license. Denver, Colorado, passed a similar ban by a wide margin, according to Sentient Media.

Whether these bans will hold teeth is unclear. The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington D.C. told the Washington Post they will not use resources on the enforcement of the foie gras ban. History suggests the path to compliance is rocky; a similar ban enacted in California in 2012 has faced persistent implementation challenges, with the Los Angeles Times reporting last year that the product remained available for purchase throughout the state.

More on this story: Global data centers currently consume approximately 500 terawatt-hours of electricity each year