In a newsletter on 4 November, Cleanview, which tracks data centre and energy projects, assessed how the US midterm elections will affect data centre construction. In nine states, it said, a governor or governor-elect has promised or already imposed a pause on new data centres. These states hold 158.6 gigawatts (GW) of planned data centre capacity, or 41 per cent of the national total. A further 69.2 GW (18 per cent) is in states where the election winner wants to change tax breaks or other rules but does not support a pause.

Bloomberg reported on the findings on 6 November in an article published by Insurance Journal. Bloomberg put the share at about 40 per cent. The figure is based on Cleanview’s data, so Bloomberg does not independently confirm the calculation. The races in Alaska and Kansas were still undecided, Bloomberg said, but in both the candidate pushing for a pause was leading.

The pause would last until new rules are written

Cleanview stresses that the election result does not mean the end of the data centre boom. Most candidates said the pause would last until new rules have been written. The campaign pledges lacked many details, and some governors will have to negotiate the rules with Republican legislators. The final impact will therefore not be clear until next year. The pauses will have less effect on the 56.7 GW already under construction, because the pledges target new construction.

Texas has 88.4 GW of planned capacity. Governor Greg Abbott halted approvals of new grid connections and state permits in August and extended the pause in September. Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa promised a moratorium on all new data centres until the state passes laws to protect residents. Republicans still hold a 19–12 majority in the state senate, so ending the pause will require agreement next year.

In Ohio (21.9 GW), Governor-elect Amy Acton supports a conditional moratorium. In Georgia (20.2 GW), Keisha Lance Bottoms supports a pause on all new construction.

Data centre developers have started building their own gas power plants because connecting to the grid means a long wait. A gas plant needs an air-quality permit, which agencies under the governor often handle. Of the planned capacity in states backing a pause, 56.1 GW is in projects that include an on-site gas plant, 45 GW of it in Texas. All of OpenAI’s planned projects are in states whose new governor backed a pause during the campaign, Cleanview said.

Market reaction and local votes

Tech stocks fell on Thursday as investors expected tighter regulation, Bloomberg reported. The S&P 500 Index dropped more than 4 per cent and the Nasdaq 100 6.4 per cent, wiping out $2.3 trillion in market value. Technology companies had been expected to spend $1,400 billion on AI infrastructure in 2027. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Mandeep Singh estimated that the election result could shrink that sum by roughly 5–7 per cent. Singh said up to 10 GW of capacity could fall behind schedule next year.

The sources give different figures for local votes. Cleanview relies on the election information service Ballotpedia, which says data centres were directly on the ballot in 41 local elections. By Cleanview’s count based on unofficial results, the side pushing for restrictions won at least 36 of them. By Bloomberg Economics’ count, 46 local measures to slow development have been approved or are on track to pass. At least 17 of them ban large data centres outright.