Wisconsin city passes nation's first anti-data center referendum

[riversedge]

Source: Politico


The vote suggests ballot measures could become a powerful new tool for grassroots activists seeking to block data center projects.


By Tyler Katzenberger04/08/2026 06:00 AM EDT

A small Wisconsin city home to a data center project backed by President Donald Trump voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to restrict future data centers, in a first-of-its-kind referendum that backers said could offer a blueprint for AI infrastructure opponents around the country.

Voters in the Milwaukee suburb of Port Washington approved the measure by a roughly 2-to-1 margin, according to unofficial results.

City residents who sponsored the voter initiative said it marks an escalation of tactics to oppose the massive facilities needed to power artificial intelligence and could inspire activists in other towns to follow suit.

“This is really setting a precedent,” Christine Le Jeune, founder of the nonprofit Great Lakes Neighbors United, said in an interview Tuesday evening. “This is something that other communities can look to.”........

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/08/wisconsin-city-passes-nations-first-anti-data-center-referendum-00863432?utm_medium=activitypub&utm_source=flipboard

---

Link to tweet

?s=20


A rendering shows the proposed Vantage Data Centers campus in Port Washington, Wisconsin. | Business Wire via AP

[mdbl]

1. I hope they included provisioning rules about any existing data centers.

Such as making sure they pay for everything themselves instead of burdening the local tax and utility rate payers. But, I dare to dream.

[GusBob]

2. Forget about trans athletes as a hot button issue, data centers are going to a big one

And controversial

WIIN ( Wisconsin Infrastructure Now) are lobbying hard with ads on Brewers baseball

To be fair Wind, Solar, and Data projects are their deal and the jobs that come with them