{"id":263,"date":"2026-09-29T17:20:06","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T17:20:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/managedt.com\/blog\/voter-opposition-ai-data-centers-poll\/"},"modified":"2026-10-28T03:29:45","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T03:29:45","slug":"voter-opposition-ai-data-centers-poll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/managedt.com\/blog\/voter-opposition-ai-data-centers-poll\/","title":{"rendered":"Voter Opposition to AI Data Centers Reaches 61 Percent in National Poll"},"content":{"rendered":"
Updated October 27, 2026 at 11:27 PM ET<\/em><\/div>\n

Consider polling on AI data centers when anticipating community objections, infrastructure demands and questions about local costs or benefits. Opposition reached 66% nationally in October 2026 and rose to 72% when respondents were asked about a data center in their own community.<\/p>\n

The same poll found that 30% of Americans support building more data centers nationally. The earlier Siena University survey also found broad resistance, with 61% of likely voters opposing construction and only 14% strongly supporting it.<\/p>\n

What the newest polling shows<\/h2>\n

An ABC News poll conducted with the Washington Post and Ipsos<\/a> surveyed 2,545 U.S. adults from October 9 through October 13, 2026. The probability-based poll had an overall error margin of plus or minus 2 points.<\/p>\n

The findings were stronger when respondents considered a project near home. Sixty-six percent opposed new data center construction nationally, while 72% opposed a new data center in their community. Support for building more data centers nationally stood at 30%, with support highest among MAGA Republicans at 53%.<\/p>\n

Opposition to a local project was recorded among 81% of Democrats, 76% of independents and 58% of Republicans. It reached 80% among adults under 30 and 69% among adults age 65 or older. Rural respondents showed the highest opposition at 78%, compared with 72% of suburban residents and 69% of urban residents.<\/p>\n

What the earlier Siena survey found<\/h2>\n

Poll data released in September by The New York Times and Siena University found that 61% of 1,503 likely voters opposed constructing data centers to power AI technology. Only 14% strongly supported construction.<\/p>\n

The partisan split was narrow among people who supported Donald Trump in 2024, with 49% in favor and 45% opposed. People who had voted for Kamala Harris or who did not vote leaned against construction, at 74% and 67%, respectively.<\/p>\n

Among the 554 respondents asked which party they trusted to handle the issue, 42% chose Republicans, 40% chose Democrats and 18% said they did not know or refused. Most voters still selected their own party when asked whom they trusted on the issue.<\/p>\n

Why small businesses should pay attention<\/h2>\n

The most common reason for opposition was the environment and water use, cited by 32% of respondents. Effects on local communities ranked second at 21%. General distrust or dislike of AI followed at 18%, regulation concerns at 10% and economic concerns at 9%.<\/p>\n

Among opponents, 56% preferred placing limits on data centers and 38% wanted a complete ban.<\/p>\n

How much attention do voters give to AI?<\/h2>\n

Despite the opposition, AI and data centers ranked below the leading midterm issues. The Siena survey recorded less than 1% for AI and data centers across most demographic groups when voters chose the issue most likely to determine their vote.<\/p>\n

People between 18 and 29 formed the main exception, with 3% naming AI and data centers. The economy, foreign policy, inflation and opposition to the current administration received more responses overall.<\/p>\n

The polling pattern also appeared in earlier surveys. A Gallup poll in May found that seven in ten Americans opposed local construction of AI data centers. An NBC News poll in March placed AI lower than immigration enforcement in voter priority.<\/p>\n

What to do now<\/h2>\n
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  1. Review the business case for planned AI or cloud growth.<\/strong> Check which applications, email, servers, websites and customer services depend on external data center capacity.<\/li>\n
  2. Ask about continuity and vendor capacity.<\/strong> Document which hosted services are business-critical, who provides them and what happens if service is interrupted.<\/li>\n
  3. Plan for community scrutiny.<\/strong> If a project or supplier has a local presence, prepare to address common community concerns, including environmental effects, water use, community impact, regulation and economic effects.<\/li>\n
  4. Separate political positioning from technical planning.<\/strong> According to the ABC News\/Washington Post\/Ipsos poll<\/a>, majorities across partisan groups and virtually all other major demographic groups opposed a new data center in their community, while the September survey<\/a> found AI and data centers had little influence on most voters\u2019 midterm choices.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    FAQ<\/h2>\n

    What share of likely voters oppose AI data center construction?<\/h3>\n

    Sixty-one percent of 1,503 likely voters surveyed in early September opposed constructing data centers to power AI technology, while 14 percent strongly supported construction.<\/p>\n

    What are the top reasons voters give for opposing data centers?<\/h3>\n

    The environment and water use was the most common reason at 32 percent, followed by impact on local communities at 21%, distrust or dislike of AI at 18%, regulation concerns at 10% and the economy at 9%.<\/p>\n

    Do voters want limits or an outright ban on data centers?<\/h3>\n

    Among voters who opposed construction, 56 percent supported placing limits on data centers and 38 percent preferred a total ban.<\/p>\n

    This article reports on publicly available information from the sources listed below. We have no reason to believe it is inaccurate, but we have not independently verified every claim, and details may change as the story develops.<\/em><\/div>\n
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    Sources<\/h2>\n