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Americans vote today in midterms where data centers have become a governor's-race issue.
Candidates in at least a dozen states have backed a moratorium on new data centers, by Newsweek's count, from both parties: Pennsylvania's Republican nominee Stacy Garrity has called for a temporary pause, and Democrats Doug Jones in Alabama and Hannah Pingree in Maine back one.
New York is the only state with a moratorium in force, the one-year pause Kathy Hochul signed in July.
Polls have been consistent on the local question: Gallup found 71% opposed construction near them in March.
Governors' races in at least a dozen states put data center pauses on today's ballot
Americans vote today in midterms where data centers have become a governor's-race issue. Candidates in at least a dozen states have backed a moratorium on new data centers, by Newsweek's count, from both parties: Pennsylvania's Republican nominee Stacy Garrity has called for a temporary pause, and Democrats Doug Jones in Alabama and Hannah Pingree in Maine back one. New York is the only state with a moratorium in force, the one-year pause Kathy Hochul signed in July. Polls have been consistent on the local question: Gallup found 71% opposed construction near them in March. SourcesBB
Sources
- BMap shows states where governor candidates support data center moratoriums (Newsweek)newsweek.com
- BGubernatorial candidates split on data center policy in 2026 (MultiState, not opened)multistate.us
This story ran in the Morning Brief of November 3rd 2026.