43 of 44 Data Center Moratorium Proposals Passed After the U.S. Midterm Elections

American Voters Say No to AI: 43 of 44 Data Center Moratorium Proposals Passed Phoenix Tech Download the app for exclusive early access November 06, 2026 08:56:42 From Beijing Updated November 06, 2026 09:08:23

Phoenix Tech News, November 6 (Beijing Time) — According to The Verge, the Democratic Party won control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections, and the AI industry may be facing a major policy shift. With candidates opposed to data center expansion and in favor of stronger AI regulation winning elections, tech giants such as OpenAI and Meta face a stricter regulatory environment. Analysts expect that construction plans for as many as 1,000 data centers in the United States may slow, and some tech companies have already begun considering moving data centers overseas.

In this midterm election, the Democratic Party not only regained control of Congress but also made breakthroughs in several traditionally Republican-leaning states and swing states. Unlike in the past, the responsibility of AI companies, data center expansion, and the energy costs borne by ordinary people became important issues in this election.

After the election results came out, several AI giants remained silent. Neither OpenAI nor Anthropic responded to The Verge's requests for comment. Musk, who had previously spent nearly $450 million supporting Republican campaigns, also deleted posts after the election ended that called on voters to support Republicans.

According to The Wall Street Journal, executives at several tech companies privately discussed the restrictions the election results could impose on the expansion of computing resources, with the impact on OpenAI drawing particular attention. Meta Platforms President Dina Powell McCormick revealed that some companies are considering moving data center construction outside the United States.

Wes McEnany, a former U.S. Senate labor policy official now working with the nonprofit Future of Life Institute, described the election results as a "complete rejection" of the AI industry.

43 Data Center Restriction Measures Passed, AI Expansion Meets Resistance

Data center construction became the most prominent tech controversy in this U.S. election.

According to The Verge, in local votes held on November 3, 43 of 44 measures involving moratoriums on data center construction were passed. An Election Day poll by NBC News showed that 76% of voters surveyed opposed building data centers in their own communities.

Residents' main concerns centered on rising electricity bills, noise pollution, and the burden data center construction places on local infrastructure.

Newly elected Texas Governor Gina Hinojosa has clearly stated that she plans to pause approval of new data center projects until the state legislature passes relevant laws protecting the interests of local residents. Newly elected leaders in several other states have also put forward similar proposals.

Shaunna Thomas, co-founder of the political action committee Guardrails Alliance, which promotes AI regulation, said opposition to data center expansion is one of the most bipartisan political issues she has ever seen.

Kyle Jacobs-Morse, deputy executive director of the tech industry watchdog The Tech Oversight Project, pointed out that the data center controversy is evolving into a broader question of tech company accountability.

Construction of a Thousand Data Centers May Slow, Tech Giants Face New Uncertainty

Analysts at Yorkville Ives & Co. expect in a report that, as the regulatory environment tightens, the planned construction of as many as 1,000 data centers in the United States may slow. This could not only affect the pace of tech companies' computing power expansion but also change the rhythm of AI infrastructure investment.

It is worth noting that some industry observers believe a slowdown in data center construction may not be entirely bad news.

Katie Barr, CEO of Glen Echo Group, cautioned that the election results should not be simply interpreted as the American public's comprehensive opposition to technological development.

She believes that what voters are really focused on is the cost of living, jobs, safety, and whether they themselves can participate in major decisions affecting their communities and daily lives.

Several Democratic lawmakers who won elections had previously clearly supported stronger AI regulation. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff of Georgia criticized in his victory speech that Silicon Valley giants build shelters for themselves while warning the public that the AI they develop could lead to human extinction.

Previously, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Greg Casar proposed legislation in September aimed at restricting the development of superintelligence. As the political landscape in Congress changes, related policy discussions may advance further.

Adam Kovacevich, founder and CEO of the pro-tech advocacy group Chamber of Progress, said it remains to be seen whether the Democratic Party will adopt the relatively tough tech regulatory policies of the Biden era or return to the relatively friendly tech policies of the Obama era.

For the U.S. AI giants that are investing huge sums to compete for computing power and model capabilities, this midterm election sent an important signal: future competition in the AI industry will depend not only on technological breakthroughs and capital investment, but will also be increasingly affected by energy costs, local community attitudes, and political regulation. (Editor/Yu Lei)

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