In Perry, Ohio, 946 voters backed a rule requiring large data center developers to put money behind the promises they make when seeking certain local tax breaks. Another 140 voted against it, according to Lake County’s unofficial returns. Under Issue 16, a developer seeking a qualifying tax deal must provide financial guarantees, including a bond that backs promises about jobs, tax revenue and support for local services.
Ballotpedia tracked 41 local data center ballot measures across 10 states on Nov. 3. Voters approved 27 measures that limited development or expressed opposition to it. They rejected 13 that would have helped projects advance or signaled support for development. Those votes had different effects. In Wilmington, Ohio, voters refused to rezone four sites from residential to industrial use. In Monroeville, Ohio, residents voted 394 to 55 against allowing data centers in the village. Their vote advised the council and left local zoning rules in place.
A construction limit and a deal put to voters
In Upper Sandusky, Ohio, about 77% of voters backed a change to the city charter that bars construction of data centers with power demand above 25 megawatts. The rule applies inside city limits. Smartland Energy had proposed a 150-megawatt gas plant next to land where a separate company could build a data center. Smartland had yet to name a customer for the power and said after the vote that it would review the outcome, the Ohio Capital Journal reported.
About 82% of voters in Ashville, Ohio, rejected a village resolution that set terms for talks with EdgeConneX. The company proposed two data center buildings and, through an affiliate, a gas power plant on the same property. The terms called for EdgeConneX to cover village engineering and legal costs and exempted the project from a local pause on data center development. A full agreement would have required a separate council vote, and the gas plant required a state permit.
Three Ashville residents petitioned for a vote on the resolution. The village fiscal officer declined to certify the petition to the county elections board, citing in part the council’s decision to pass the resolution as an emergency measure. In August, the Ohio Supreme Court ordered her to certify the petition to the county elections board.
Harwood turned down added review
Harwood, North Dakota, was the sole exception in Ballotpedia’s count. There, 325 voters opposed and 105 backed a proposal to require independent technical review, a public hearing and written findings before the city approved certain large industrial developments, including data centers. Applied Digital was already building its Polaris Forge 2 campus near Harwood. In October, the company said it expected initial operations there by year-end.
Ohio’s county election boards have until Nov. 24 to certify their results. In Mandan, North Dakota, voters are scheduled to decide on Dec. 15 whether to ban data centers with expected power demand or capacity of 25 megawatts or more.
