Majority of N.J. voters don’t want data centers in their towns, poll finds

New Jersey voters want to see their local officials block data centers from being fabricated in their towns, a poll from the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University found. 

A majority of registered voters, 56%, said they would support an attempt from their local town to ban data centers, while 22% said they would oppose such a measure. And more than 80% said they would support state measures requiring stricter energy standards for data centers and requiring large facilities to construct their own new electricity sources.

The proliferation of data centers has led to a reckoning in New Jersey politics, as residents across the state push their local elected officials to stifle the construction of new facilities. Councilmen, legislators, and experts are still debating the path forward, seeking to balance the economic and technological benefits of such centers while also ensuring the plants don’t further worsen energy prices or startle the way of life in quiet towns. 

The poll also offered New Jerseyans the chance to pick between three paths for data center development: encourage development but with strict regulations on energy use and environmental impacts, encourage development with fewer such regulations, or discourage data center development altogether. The poll found 46% backed the first option and 35% backed the third option; just 12% want to encourage data center development with few regulations.

“The findings highlight the challenge facing policymakers as they try to balance economic growth tied to AI infrastructure with growing public concern about costs, environmental sustainability, and local community impact,” said Alyssa Maurice, Hughes Center assistant director.

A touch more than three-quarters of those polled said they are either very concerned or somewhat concerned with the effects of data centers on the environment.

New Jerseyans also worry that artificial intelligence could harm the state’s economy. About three-quarters of respondents said they believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates, and 7% said they think the technology will create more jobs.

The results match a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll that found 65% of New Jersey voters would support a moratorium on data center construction. 

“The policy debate around data centers is just beginning, as questions remain over appropriate zoning, how energy is sourced, and who pays for much-needed grid upgrades,” Maurice said. “At the same time, New Jersey leaders are sure to face continued pressure to reduce energy costs for residents.”

The Stockton University poll interviewed 642 registered New Jersey voters from April 21 to April 27, with a +/-3.9% margin of error.