Sixty-one percent of likely US voters oppose construction of data centers for AI, according to a New York Times/Siena University poll of 1,503 people conducted in early September. Only 14% strongly supported construction, adding to evidence that local infrastructure expansion faces broad public resistance.
Opposition crossed political lines but differed in intensity. Among 2024 Donald Trump voters, 49% supported and 45% opposed construction. Opposition rose to 74% among Kamala Harris voters and 67% among people who did not vote. Of respondents against data centers, 56% preferred limits and 38% wanted a total ban. Environmental and water use led the reasons at 32%, followed by local-community effects at 21% and general distrust of AI at 18%.
The sentiment is wide but not especially decisive at the ballot box. AI and data centers were selected as a top midterm issue by fewer than 1% of most demographic groups and 3% of voters aged 18 to 29. Respondents were also nearly split over which party they trusted, with 40% choosing Democrats, 42% Republicans and 18% unsure or declining to answer. The results suggest projects may face intense local permitting battles even if national campaigns continue to focus on the economy, inflation and foreign policy.