Voters Back Limits on Data Centers in 40 of 41 Local Votes; Hawley Urges National Moratorium
Photo: The New York TimesVoters in 13 states approved 40 of 41 local ballot measures to limit or block data center development in the Nov. 3 elections. A week later, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., became the first Republican senator to back a nationwide moratorium. Hawley wrote on X on Wednesday that a moratorium is one of five things he wants Senate Republicans to do in the next six weeks. A spokesperson said it should last until Congress passes protections guaranteeing taxpayers no rate increases. Democrats won the Senate and House, and NBC News projected at least 55 Senate seats for the party. More than 500 jurisdictions had approved moratoriums or bans before the vote, and a May 2026 Gallup poll found 7 in 10 Americans oppose local data centers. Bernstein estimated that only 2 to 4 percent of future data centers will be canceled nationwide, or 9 percent in the most extreme case. Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts said Thursday that Republicans made an underappreciated mistake by failing to recognize voter opposition.
The left-leaning New York Times leads with industry resilience. It says tech companies' concessions on secrecy, community benefits and electricity payments failed to stop the backlash, but cites Bernstein and Susquehanna analyses suggesting construction will continue. Right-leaning outlets lead with Republican politics. The Daily Caller frames Hawley's push as coming after his party's midterm "shellacking." It adds his spokesperson's rate-protection condition, the other items on his list, and NBC exit-poll data on utility-cost concern. Newsmax centers Roberts' criticism of the GOP. Both sides report the lopsided vote, but the Times does not mention Hawley in its opening, while the right-leaning pieces do not stress the construction forecasts. Independent outlets add distinct angles. The Lever ties Hawley to Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez and cites Cornell research on costs shifted to households, while Consortium News stresses the polling.
How the sides differ Left sources stress that data center construction will likely continue despite the votes; right sources focus on Republican fallout, with Hawley's moratorium and a Heritage warning.
Headline, comparison and summary written by AI from the articles below. AI can make mistakes, so check the original articles before relying on a detail.
The New York Times leads with the tech industry's ability to keep building despite the vote, citing Bernstein and Susquehanna analyses, the failed concessions to critics, and Karen Weise's visits to data centers.
- Consortium NewsUS Voters Slap Limits on AI Data Centers
The Lever pairs Hawley's moratorium support with Cornell research on costs shifted to households, while Consortium News stresses the 40-of-41 vote, Gallup polling and over 500 local bans.
The Daily Caller covers Hawley's moratorium push after the Republican midterm losses, with his spokesperson and NBC exit-poll data, while Newsmax features Heritage's Kevin Roberts saying the GOP ignored voters.