Morgan County groups push data center referendum for November ballot
Two county groups are collecting signatures for a November vote on whether Morgan County should restrict data centers, as residents weigh water, power and tax tradeoffs.
Morgan County voters could be asked in November whether the county should restrict data centers, a move that would put local control over land use, water demand and utility strain directly on the ballot.
Two groups, Accountability for Data Center Development and Indivisible-Jacksonville, have begun gathering petition signatures for a referendum that would ask: should restrictions be imposed on the construction of data centers in Morgan County? The push is tied to a data center project along the Sangamon-Morgan county line that already won approval from the Sangamon County Board.
They want a 12-month moratorium so county leaders can spend more time on research and environmental studies before allowing additional projects. Morgan County officials approved a six-month hold at the April 27 board meeting after a packed courthouse gathering and a 360-signature petition from residents worried about water, power and taxes.
The pause was intended to slow proposals long enough to review zoning, utility demand, water use, land impacts and the tax effects of data centers. Commissioner Mark Woods later asked the board to consider a formal 12-month study period for any data center proposal within the county’s boundaries, and May 4 was a key date in that effort. Board Chair Michael Wankel said the decision would depend on whether the item could be placed on the agenda.
State lawmakers in Springfield have been debating data center regulations, including disclosure requirements for water and energy use and measures aimed at keeping energy costs from shifting to residents. An Illinois report put the total at 44 gigawatts of electricity.
The local debate has centered on a central Illinois project previously identified as Google’s Project Louie near Monrovia. The campus was nearly 550 acres after successive rezoning approvals, and in September 2025 dozens of residents protested another rezoning step, citing concerns about property values, traffic and whether the site fit the county’s comprehensive plan as the highest and best use of the land.
Under Illinois election rules, local referendum petitions generally must be filed at least 92 days before Election Day and commonly need signatures equal to at least 8% of the prior gubernatorial vote in the affected district.
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