Data Center Risk Reaches 41 Local Measures On November 3

Local elections add a separate risk to the power and capital constraints facing data-center projects.

Ballotpedia lists 41 data-center-related local ballot measures across 10 states for November 3, 2026. The measures include construction bans or pauses, zoning conditions, advisory questions and pro-development votes. They do not represent 41 distinct municipalities or 41 identical project-approval decisions.

Commercial Property Executive’s November 2 report on a ULI session describes an audience poll: 50% initially named power deliverability as the likeliest project-killer and 38% named community opposition. At the end, opposition ranked first and power second; final percentages were not reported. This is a session audience sample, not a representative survey of developers.

Texas provides earlier policy context. Governor Greg Abbott directed TCEQ to halt data-center permits on September 21. That action is not new November news. The Texas Tribune reported October 19 that approximately $9 million, or 13%, of Abbott’s fundraising since July 2025 involved donors with direct or indirect data-center ties. That category is broader than developers alone.

For underwriting, the actionable step is to identify the actual measure, election date, zoning status and permit exposure for each site. State incentives and local tax treatment vary by jurisdiction; neither an incentive award nor a power agreement establishes local approval.