Exit polls show data centers weren't winners in 2026 elections
Summary
CBS News exit polls found that most voters opposed building a new AI data center in their community during the 2026 midterm elections. Opposition was widespread across party groups and urban, suburban, and rural areas, and voters opposed to data centers mostly backed Democratic candidates.Key Facts
- More than half of voters said data centers were a major factor in their vote.
- Majorities nationally and in every Senate battleground polled opposed a new data center in their community.
- Most voters who opposed data centers backed Democratic candidates.
- Most self-identified Republicans also opposed a new data center in their area, while predominantly voting for Republican candidates.
- Voters who believed AI would do more harm than good tended to oppose local data centers; those who thought AI would help society were more open to them.
- In selected states, majorities in urban, suburban, and rural areas opposed new data centers.
- Earlier CBS News polling found concerns about environmental and resource impacts contributed to public skepticism, while more respondents thought data centers could help local tax revenue.
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