Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly recently claimed that the overwhelming majority of state residents reject the construction of artificial intelligence data centers locally.
Campaigning on a promise to implement a one-year moratorium on building such facilities if elected, Jolly remarked during a late-August press briefing, “This is one of those issues where voters are telling us what they want.”
“I mean, I don’t know the exact number — 70, 80% of people across Florida are saying ‘don’t build data centers,’ and at some point our jobs as leaders are to listen,” he added.
While President Donald Trump has expressed growing support for expanding this infrastructure, the current midterm election season has simultaneously sparked nationwide resistance against AI data center projects.
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Does local pushback truly match Jolly’s estimates?
Although experts caution that public sentiment regarding emerging technologies can remain fluid, recent polling indicates rising public discontent regarding data centers both inside Florida and nationwide.
To back up his claim, Jolly’s team referenced a July University of North Florida survey indicating that 68% of polled Floridians objected to establishing data centers near them.
Karlyn Bowman, a senior fellow and public opinion analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, noted that while data center polling is relatively new, the UNF figures align closely with national surveys showing strong majorities—60% or higher—resisting new facilities in their neighborhoods.
“The public seems highly skeptical of them, even when the revenue and progress points are made,” Bowman observed.
Despite the potential for job creation and increased local tax income, many residents remain wary. Modern AI data centers demand immense amounts of water and electricity, generate persistent noise pollution, and can drastically alter the aesthetic and functional nature of surrounding communities.
Polling indicates that resistance to new data centers outweighs support
The nonpartisan Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida surveyed 848 likely midterm voters across the state.
Participants were asked: “Supporters cite the need for AI development and opportunity for increased local government revenue, while opponents worry about rising energy costs and environmental impact. Would you support or oppose the building of an AI data center in your local area?”
Roughly 68% of respondents indicated opposition, compared to 28% who expressed support.
Researchers noted that while participants expressed mixed views on artificial intelligence generally, their hostility toward physical data center construction was much sharper.
“While Floridians are evenly split on their impressions of AI, opposition to the building of data centers is overwhelming,” wrote Sean Freeder, director of the research lab. “Even groups who are positive about the technology don’t want its support infrastructure anywhere near where they live.”
Conversely, a February survey from the Associated Industries of Florida—a business advocacy group active since 1920—phrased the issue differently and found a much friendlier reception.
Conducted by the pro-Trump polling firm McLaughlin & Associates, the survey asked participants if they would support a facility “if it lowered local property taxes, boosted local jobs, and kept foreign adversaries’ hands off Americans’ ‘critical data’?” Notably, the question omitted any potential drawbacks.
Under those framing conditions, 64% of respondents favored building the data centers.
Other polling approaches yielded varying results based on direct wording.
A July survey by the James Madison Institute, a conservative think tank, polled 1,400 residents with the question: “Data centers are large facilities that store and process digital information for internet services, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Overall, do you support or oppose Florida taking steps to attract data center investment to the state?”
That poll recorded a closer margin: 49% expressed some level of opposition, while 40% were supportive.
Meanwhile, a May study by Change Research, a progressive polling organization, asked 2,070 registered voters:
“Would you support or oppose an artificial intelligence (AI) data center being built in your community?”
According to Change Research, roughly 79% of respondents rejected the idea, with only 14% expressing support.
Our assessment
Jolly asserted that “70, 80% of people across Florida are saying, ‘Don’t build data centers.’”
Although public opinion continues to shift, recent Florida polls show that local resistance to data centers consistently outpaces support, with opposition figures spanning from 49% to nearly 80% depending on how the question is framed.
Because Jolly specifically pointed to a survey showing 68% opposition, his statement is grounded in available polling data.
We rate his claim Mostly True.
Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact Chief Correspondent, contributed to this article.
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