Wisconsin Voters Weigh Landmark AI Data Center Referendum

Voters in Port Washington, Wisconsin, cast ballots on April 7, 2026, in a landmark referendum that would require city leaders to obtain voter approval before awarding tax incentives to developers for projects valued at $10 million or more. Led by the nonprofit Great Lakes Neighbors United, the measure is the first U.S. municipal effort to obstruct data center development, driven by concerns over energy costs, water use, and noise pollution. While the vote does not block the existing $15 billion, 1.3-gigawatt "Stargate" AI campus planned by OpenAI and Oracle, it establishes a blueprint for other cities resisting AI infrastructure.

Mayor Ted Neitzke and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce opposed the measure, arguing it would stifle economic growth in a former Rust Belt city. The Data Center Coalition warned that such local resistance could compromise U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. Similar ballot measures are planned for Augusta Township, Michigan, and Janesville, Wisconsin, following a developer's withdrawal from Monterey Park, California.

Simultaneously, other critical elections occurred across two states. In Georgia, Republican Clay Fuller won a runoff for the 14th Congressional District to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, defeating Democrat Shawn Harris. In Wisconsin, voters chose between candidates Chris Taylor and Maria Lazar for a seat on the state supreme court. The Wisconsin Elections Commission confirmed that voting processes remained stable despite federal executive orders regarding mail-in ballots.