Overview: The NAACP’s Center for Environmental and Climate Justice has launched the “Climate on Your Ballot” interactive dashboard, putting the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure directly before voters. Tracking 1,728 active data centers and another 1,042 planned or under construction nationwide, the tool reveals how close these resource-heavy facilities sit to Black communities, particularly across the American South. By entering their address, voters can see nearby projects and review candidate responses to a 17-state questionnaire addressing water consumption, grid strain, pollution, and corporate tax incentives.
An interactive tracking dashboard maps 2,700 industrial facilities, holding candidates accountable on AI infrastructure and community impact.
A new election dashboard shows nearby data centers and candidates’ positions on development, pollution and environmental protections.
With Election Day just a week away, the NAACP launched a new electoral tracker dashboard focused on what could be a defining local issue for Black voters in the midterm elections: data centers.
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The dashboard tracks 1,728 data centers already online and another 1,042 that are either proposed, approved or under construction across the country. It also highlights how close these typically massive projects are to Black communities, particularly in the South.
The organization also sent a questionnaire about data centers and other environmental issues to candidates in 17 different states. Voters can find answers on their local ballots by plugging their address into the dashboard.
Abre’ Conner, director of the NAACP’s Center for Environmental and Climate Justice, said in a press release that voters “deserve to know where candidates stand on the climate and environmental issues shaping their communities.”
Climate on Your Ballot gives voters the information they need to hold candidates accountable and demand action on these issues.Abre’ Conner, NAACP’ Center for Environmental and Climate Justice
“From data center development to clean energy laws, these decisions have real consequences for our health and our neighborhoods,” she said. “Climate on Your Ballot gives voters the information they need to hold candidates accountable and demand action on these issues.”
The dashboard lets users see not only which data center projects are nearby, but also the stances of candidates running for local office on AI infrastructure development and other environmental issues.
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