Midterm voters in three Kansas cities will soon cast ballots on whether to ban “high‑impact” data centers—facilities that require at least 10 megawatts of electricity or consume large volumes of water. The measures appear on the November ballot in El Dorado, Emporia and Ottawa, giving residents a direct say on how their communities manage future technology development.

El Dorado’s ten‑year prohibition proposal

In El Dorado, a “yes” vote would prohibit data centers and battery‑energy‑storage systems that exceed 10 MW for a decade. A “no” vote would keep the option open for such projects. The petition was driven by the grassroots group “Protect the Heartland,” which says residents felt they had no other avenue to safeguard the town’s character.

“We felt that we had no other choice but to petition our government for an ordinance,” said Danica Dickson, a vocal opponent of large data facilities. “The ordinance does not ban all data centers. It only bans data centers with a capacity of 10 megawatts and above.”

Supporters, organized under the banner “El Dorado Forward,” argue the city already has safeguards in place. “We are an economic‑development‑friendly group, not necessarily a data‑center‑friendly group,” said Samuel McVay. “We do believe there are good projects, and we want to regulate the bad ones. We believe our city has systems in place to do that.”

Emporia’s broader ban language

Emporia’s measure would also ban high‑impact data centers, defining them as facilities with a peak electrical load of 10 MW or water use exceeding 10,000 gallons per day. A “yes” vote would enact the prohibition; a “no” vote would reject it.

Jay Vehige, an opponent of the ban, warned that the petition reflects a lack of trust in local officials. “It tells me governments are not representing people at this time,” he said. “If they were, we would not have had to go through the petition process. But it also tells me that democracy in Kansas is alive and well.”

Pro‑data‑center advocates, represented by a spokesperson for Flint Hills Digital Campus, framed the issue as more than a single project. “Residents are not being asked to approve or reject a specific data center development. They are being asked to vote on a proposed prohibition of high‑impact data centers for a decade, a decision that could have implications well beyond any single project,” the spokesperson explained. “Our vision is simple: The next great chapter of American innovation should not be limited by geography, and communities like Emporia deserve the opportunity to help write it.”

Ottawa’s open‑ended ban proposal

Ottawa’s ballot question differs in that it does not set an expiration date. A “yes” vote would adopt a ban on any utility‑intensive data center, while a “no” vote would reject the restriction. The measure’s language leaves the duration of any ban to future city council action.

Both sides in Ottawa echo the sentiment expressed in the other towns: the issue has sparked community dialogue. “This issue has united people on both sides of the aisle,” said Danica Dickson. “Hopefully the temperature cools down and we can all talk again and remember that we are neighbors,” added Samuel McVay.

What the votes mean for Kansas

These three measures illustrate a growing conversation in Kansas about balancing technological advancement with local resource stewardship. If passed, the bans would limit the ability of large data facilities to locate in these communities, potentially steering developers toward smaller, less resource‑intensive projects or toward other states.

Conversely, a defeat of the measures would keep the door open for data‑center investment, which proponents argue could bring jobs, tax revenue and a boost to the state’s digital infrastructure. The outcome will be a clear signal to both developers and local officials about the appetite for high‑impact technology projects in Kansas’s heartland.

Voters should review the full ballot language, consider the long‑term economic and environmental implications, and cast their votes at the November polls.

Original reporting: KWCH 12 (Gray) – local — read the source article.