Opposition to the construction of data centers is increasingly influencing political outcomes in the United States and Australia, leading to the removal of incumbents and the reshaping of campaign strategies.

反對興建數據中心的情緒正日益影響美國與澳洲的政治結果，導致現任官員被撤換，並促使競選策略重新調整。

The political landscape is currently experiencing a shift wherein data center infrastructure, previously viewed as an economic catalyst, has transitioned into a significant electoral liability. In Utah, the defeat of State Senate President J. Stuart Adams and Box Elder County Commissioner Lee Perry followed their endorsement of the Stratos project, a proposed campus requiring substantial power resources. This trend is mirrored across various U.S. jurisdictions; for instance, recall efforts and electoral replacements occurred in Cascade Locks, Oregon, Warrenton, Virginia, and Festus, Missouri, following official support for such facilities. These developments suggest that local planning disputes have evolved into a broader systemic opposition.

目前的政治格局正經歷一場轉變，數據中心基礎設施以往被視為經濟催化劑，如今卻轉變為顯著的選舉負擔。在猶他州，州參議院議長 J. Stuart Adams 與 Box Elder 縣專員 Lee Perry 因支持 Stratos 項目（一個需要大量電力資源的擬建園區）而落選。這一趨勢在美國多個管轄區均有體現；例如，在俄勒岡州的 Cascade Locks、維吉尼亞州的 Warrenton 以及密蘇里州的 Festus，在官方支持此類設施後，出現了撤換投票與選舉更替。這些發展表明，地方規劃爭議已演變成更廣泛的系統性反對。

Stakeholder positioning reveals a convergence of disparate political cohorts. Environmentalists, populist constituents, and suburban residents are unified by concerns regarding the externalities of AI infrastructure, specifically the depletion of water resources, noise pollution, and the escalation of utility costs. Empirical data supports this trend, with Gallup reporting that 71% of Americans oppose local data center construction—a level of resistance exceeding that historically recorded for nuclear power plants. Furthermore, the Pew Research Center indicates a prevailing perception that these facilities negatively impact environmental stability and household electricity expenditures.

利益相關者的定位揭示了迥異的政治群體的趨同。環保主義者、民粹主義選民與郊區居民對於 AI 基礎設施的外部效應感到憂慮，特別是水資源枯竭、噪音污染以及公用事業成本的攀升。經驗數據支持這一趨勢，Gallup 報告指出 71% 的美國人反對在當地興建數據中心——此反對程度超過了歷史上對核能電廠的記錄。此外，Pew Research Center 指出，普遍觀感認為這些設施對環境穩定及家庭電費支出產生負面影響。

This phenomenon has extended into high-level legislative contests. In Georgia and Virginia, candidates have successfully leveraged opposition to grid expansions and data center subsidies to secure victories. In Pennsylvania, the concentration of proposed developments in competitive congressional districts has created a precarious environment for Republican incumbents, who are now targeted by critical advertising. Internationally, similar anxieties are manifesting in Australia, where proposed projects in Katoomba have been stalled by local opposition. Despite the Albanese government's position that AI will enhance productivity, a Lowy poll indicates that 64% of Australians perceive the risks of AI as outweighing the benefits, aligning with a growing global skepticism toward the concentration of wealth and power associated with AI development.

此現象已延伸至高層的立法競選。在喬治亞州與維吉尼亞州，候選人成功利用對電網擴張與數據中心補貼的反對情緒來贏得勝利。在賓夕法尼亞州，擬建開發案集中在競爭激烈的國會選區，為共和黨現任議員創造了危險環境，使其成為攻擊性廣告的目標。在國際上，澳洲也出現類似焦慮，Katoomba 的擬建項目因當地反對而停滯。儘管艾班尼斯政府主張 AI 將提升生產力，但 Lowy 的民調顯示 64% 的澳洲人認為 AI 的風險高於利益，與全球對於 AI 發展導致財富與權力集中的懷疑情緒趨同。

Data center expansion has become a primary political fault line, characterized by a growing disconnect between institutional AI ambitions and local community acceptance.

數據中心擴張已成為主要的政治分歧線，其特徵是制度上的 AI 雄心與當地社區接受度之間日益脫節。