Local communities should block the construction of new data centers

Elections, institutions, legislation and disputes inside American states, covering governors, legislatures, attorneys general and ballot measures. States set most election rules and much of criminal, education and health policy, which makes them the level where federal deadlock is routinely bypassed.

Opposition to AI data centers is mobilizing across the political spectrum, from environmental campaigners to former Tea Party conservatives, over electricity costs, water use and the tax breaks states grant operators. Figures from Bernie Sanders to Donald Trump have taken up the issue.