How the 2026 Midterm Election Will Change Data Centers — and What It Means If You Need to Move One

Data centers were on the ballot this year. Rising electric bills and fast data center construction became a major campaign issue, and the results are already reshaping the industry.

What happened

• Democrats won control of the House and Senate on November 3.
• Data center skeptics won governor races in key states. According to Fortune, Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa promised a moratorium on new data center construction and an end to developer tax breaks. Georgia's Keisha Lance Bottoms promised a temporary statewide pause. Ohio's Amy Acton proposed a conditional moratorium unless developers cover their full utility costs.
• Public opinion has shifted. Half of Americans now oppose a data center within three miles of their home, up from 28% in January (POLITICO poll, cited by POWER Magazine).
• Data center stocks dipped the day after the election, even as the broader market rose.

What changes for data center operators

1. Slower new builds. Permitting pauses and grid-connection reviews mean new sites will take longer to come online.
2. Higher power costs for big users. Expect more states to adopt "large load" tariffs and require data centers to pay for the grid upgrades they use, or to bring their own power.
3. More consolidation and relocation. When building new is harder, companies get more out of the space they already have. That means consolidating, moving into existing colocation facilities, and relocating equipment to states with friendlier rules and available power.
4. Virginia stays in the spotlight. Virginia holds legislative elections in 2027, and data centers are expected to be a campaign issue again.

How we can move your data center

Whether you're consolidating two sites into one, moving into a colocation facility or relocating to a new state, Data Center Relocation Experts handles the physical move:

• Planning: inventory, rack elevations and a move schedule built around your downtime window
• Decommissioning: de-racking, labeling, cabling documentation and crating
• Transport: air-ride trucks, anti-static protection, and FTL or LTL from 1 to 21 pallets, domestic and international
• Re-racking: placement at the new site, ready for your IT team to power up
• Equipment buy back: we buy servers, storage, network gear, racks, UPS and power equipment for cash or credit toward your move

With 20+ years in moving and logistics and 500+ equipment relocations completed, we'll get your equipment where it needs to go, on your schedule.

Get a free quote or call 24/7: (866) 216-7742.

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Sources: Fortune (Nov. 4, 2026), POWER Magazine, TIME, Brookings.