Data Centers Are on the Ballot: What the 2026 Midterms Mean for Data Center Relocation

Today, November 3, 2026, voters across the country are heading to the polls, and data centers have become one of the biggest issues of the year. Electricity bills, water use, zoning and tax breaks for data center projects have shown up in races for governor, Senate, the House, utility commissions and local ballot measures.

For companies that run servers in colocation facilities, on-premises data rooms or their own data centers, the results could change where it makes sense to put equipment over the next few years. Here's what's happening and what it means if you're planning a data center relocation or migration.

Why data centers became an election issue

The growth of AI has driven a wave of new data center construction, and with it, rising concern about power demand:

• Electricity costs: Home electricity prices have risen more than 10% since 2024. Analysts estimate data center demand has raised U.S. wholesale power prices, with bigger increases in tech-heavy areas such as Northern Virginia. (Forbes)
• Grid capacity charges: In the PJM grid region, which covers Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and other states, the market monitor estimates ratepayers will pay billions in extra capacity charges tied to data centers. (Forbes)
• Public opinion: In a June 2026 Reuters/Ipsos poll, 77% of Americans said they worry data centers will raise their electricity rates. (Brookings)
• Local action: More than 570 local restrictions, zoning bans or moratoriums have been counted across 46 states, and more than 50 local ballot measures in 13 states are deciding data center zoning, incentives and power rules on Election Day. (Forbes)

Both parties have moved toward tougher positions. New York has announced a statewide moratorium on new hyperscale data centers, and Pennsylvania has added new authorization rules and requirements for developers to cover grid costs. (Brookings, Forbes)

What it could mean for data center relocation

We don't take sides in the election. But whichever way the races go, the trend is clear: building and powering data centers is getting more regulated, and power is getting more expensive in some markets. That affects IT teams in a few practical ways:

1. Power cost may drive moves

If colocation or utility costs rise in your current market, moving racks to a facility in a lower-cost region, or consolidating two sites into one, can cut operating costs.

2. New capacity may be slower to come online

Moratoriums and stricter approvals can delay new facilities. If you're planning to move into a new data center, build extra time into your project plan and have a backup option.

3. Consolidation and cloud migration will keep growing

Many companies will respond by shrinking their footprint: fewer racks, newer and more efficient servers, and more workloads in the cloud. That means decommissioning and moving equipment out.

4. Older equipment has value

When you consolidate, our equipment buy back program buys servers, storage, network gear, racks and UPS/power equipment. You can take cash or apply the value as credit toward your move. Learn more: how a buy back program lowers data center relocation cost.

Plan ahead, whatever the results

• Start with a full inventory of racks, servers, storage and network gear.
• Map dependencies and plan downtime windows.
• Compare power and space costs at your current site and possible new sites.
• Decide what moves, what's retired and what's sold back.
• Use a mover that handles packing, secure transport and rack reinstallation.

Helpful guides:

• Data center relocation checklist
• Data center relocation project plan
• Data center decommissioning guide
• Data center relocation cost

FAQ

Talk to Data Center Relocation Experts

Planning a move, consolidation or decommission? Call (866) 216-7742 or request a quote, and ask about our buy back program.

Follow Data Center Relocation Experts on Facebook.

Sources: Brookings, "Why data centers are a top issue in the 2026 midterms"; Forbes, "Data Centers Are Key Issue In Midterm Battleground States As Household Electric Rates Soar" (Nov 2, 2026).