A proposed constitutional amendment to ban large data centers faces a steep climb to the November ballot after organizers reported roughly 27,000 signatures, just 6% of the 413,000-plus needed by July 1. With only weeks remaining and a typical campaign needing a cushion above the minimum to survive Ohio’s signature-verification process, the effort faces long odds.

But the campaign still reflects a broader reality policymakers should not ignore. Public frustration over data center development is growing, especially around electric costs, water use, land use and pressure on local communities.

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) has been clear that data centers are not the villain. Bad utility planning is. The risk comes when monopoly utilities use speculative or inflated load forecasts to justify costly infrastructure and shift costs onto captive customers.

“Ohio should welcome real economic growth, including data center investment, but customers should not be forced to bankroll utility overbuilding based on projections that may never materialize,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “The answer is not to ban development. The answer is forecast accountability, transparent planning and strong customer protections.” 5/19/2026