Out Of 45 Data Center Votes Across America, Exactly One Went The Industry's Way

What happened: Harwood, North Dakota was the only one of 45 data center ballot measures nationwide where voters sided with a data center, rejecting Measure 2, a charter amendment that would have added reviews and hearings for large industrial projects. Key numbers: About 75 percent of 430 votes cast, 325, went against Measure 2. Why it matters: The vote came as data center moratoriums became a central worry for the AI trade, with the Nasdaq down more than 5 percent by midday Thursday in a selloff that hit hyperscaler and neocloud stocks.

Harwood, North Dakota was the only one of 45 data center ballot measures nationwide where voters sided with a data center, rejecting Measure 2, a charter amendment that would have added reviews and hearings for large industrial projects.

The vote came as data center moratoriums became a central worry for the AI trade, with the Nasdaq down more than 5 percent by midday Thursday in a selloff that hit hyperscaler and neocloud stocks.