Data centers were on the ballot, both directly and indirectly, in the 2026 midterm elections. A total of 41 local ballot initiatives concerning data centers in 10 states were up for a vote. All but one resulted in measures to restrict or limit their development. The centers also may have played a role in several high-profile contests. In Ohio’s race for a U.S. Senate seat, Democratic challenger Sherrod Brown hammered incumbent Jon Husted for his past support of data centers.