Ohio Voters Reject Data Centre Boom in Poll

Sherri Fahringer and Amanda Wasmus are united by a shared frustration over proposed construction in central Ohio. Fahringer, a self-described liberal Democrat, lives in the village of Commercial Point, where plans call for 15 new buildings, diesel generators, and 24-hour industrial lighting on farmland across from her home. Wasmus, a conservative Republican, has become an ally in the effort to halt the project. The pair met at Fahringer’s kitchen table to strategize, driven by a belief that their rural community is changing too quickly.

A poll released this month by the Ohio Northern University Institute for Civics and Public Policy in partnership with SurveyUSA found that a clear majority of respondents oppose the growth of data centres in the state. The survey was conducted in October. State lawmakers and industry groups estimate that more than 200 data centres are either active or under construction in Ohio. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce stated in 2024 that the state has attracted more than $40 billion in private investment for these developments by 2030, supporting more than 95,000 jobs. Critics, including a Brookings Institution study, argue that actual job growth is lower than industry claims.

The issue has become a focal point in the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown. Polls indicate the contest is a toss-up. Husted recently supported the Ratepayer Protection Act, a bill that would require technology companies to cover higher energy costs. The House passed the bill with bipartisan support, but Husted was unable to secure passage in the Senate. He told reporters at a campaign event in rural Ohio that Democrats were blocking the legislation. He described the issue as having flipped in favor of Republicans in recent weeks.

Republican strategists expressed concern about the topic in a memo obtained by Axios. The document labeled data centres a sleeper issue and described them as an anchor hanging around Husted’s neck. Democrats have used attack ads to cast Husted and his party as pro-development. Wasmus, who voted for President Donald Trump, said she is no longer enthusiastic about the administration. She stated she does not plan to vote for Husted in the upcoming midterm elections. Trump, who is aggressively pro-data centre, is holding three rallies in Ohio during the final stretch of the campaign.

Supporters of Husted downplayed the backlash. Neal Nesbitt, a surgeon from Athens, Ohio, attributed some of the opposition to general anti-Trump sentiment. Lynne Genter, a retiree from Ohio State University, said the country is in good shape if data centres are its biggest problem. In Zanesville, Ohio, Democrats saw an opportunity to challenge Republican strongholds. Jim McGreevy, a retired teacher, noted that Trump’s popularity has dropped in rural areas where data centres are planned. He suggested this dissatisfaction could translate into votes for Democrats or lower turnout among Republicans. New Albany, northeast of Columbus, has become a hub for data centre activity from companies including Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft.