* Mother Jones…

Voters considered nearly 40 data center-related ballot measures across 10 states, turning the midterms into a sprawling referendum shifting the technology industry’s demand for power into a test of political power.

Of the ballot measures, just one—in Harwood, North Dakota—counted as a victory for the tech industry. In the other measures, which were voted on in California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, and Wisconsin, voters either banned data center construction or halted the development of all planned facilities in their municipalities. […]

A nationwide poll Wednesday found that more than half of midterm voters considered AI and data centers to be a major or crucial factor in their vote.

* NBC Chicago…

One other interesting referendum was voted upon in Joliet, where voters overwhelmingly rejected a question over whether the Joliet City Council should approve the construction of data centers to power artificial intelligence technology. Nearly 80% of voters in the advisory referendum rejected the proposal, according to the Will County Clerk’s Office.

* St. Louis Public Radio…

Ballot initiatives in Chouteau, Granite City, Nameoki and Venice townships asked voters whether they support future data center development and construction. Residents in all four townships voted no.

Chouteau Township had the most decisive result with 83.27% of the vote against data centers. Other townships voted at least 74% against them.

In Illinois, townships are subdivisions of local government that operate alongside cities and villages. The township’s elected board may oversee local infrastructure, such as water and sewer services. Each of the townships included in the advisory measure overlaps with Granite City.

Because the measures are nonbinding, they do not ban data centers even though residents voted against the projects. […]

Granite City officials heard public comment about a proposed data center this spring involving two sites along the Route 3 industrial corridor. The Belleville News-Democrat reported that it received mixed reviews, with some in support of union jobs and others concerned about utility rate hikes, environmental impacts and transparency.

* WGLT…

A majority of voters said they want to see Bloomington implement a moratorium on hyperscale data centers, with 77.5% voting yes and 22.5% voting no.

Bloomington City Council passed a six-month pause on large data centers in May. A month later, more than 100 City of Bloomington Township residents unanimously voted to add a ballot question about making the moratorium permanent.

The city has since released a draft proposal introducing regulations for data center developers.

* Related…

* Shaw Local | Future of Joliet data center in doubt as developers, ComEd in court battle over $587 million payment: Developers of the Joliet data center are refusing to pay $587 million in advance payments designed to ensure costs connected to the project are not passed on to other ComEd customers, according to court documents.