Data Centers

It Was a Data Center Election After All

A majority of voters told exit pollsters that data centers were a top issue for them during this election.

Christian Britschgi | 11.4.2026 3:40 PM

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It was the data center election after all. 

In 2026, we witnessed a stunning, rapid turn in public opinion against data centers. A practical non-issue as early as last year turned into a high-salience moral panic, as voters everywhere said they did not want a data center in their backyard. 

As the midterms approached, many commenters (including this one) argued that the data center backlash was also helping to give Democrats an edge in places like Texas. 

Just before election night, data center revisionists began downplaying their importance in the election. On X, commenters seized on an NBC News poll showing that only 3 percent of voters said that AI data........

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