YELLOWSTONE COUNTY CITIZENS' INITIATIVE
Data Center Development Should Be Decided by Voters
A ballot initiative requiring public voter approval before any new or expanded data center can be built in Yellowstone County, Montana.
STATUS: Initiative Submitted to County — June 15, 2025 | Pending County Attorney Review
INSERT NONPARTISAN CALL OUT
2/3
Supermajority of voters required to approve any new data center
~19,000
Valid signatures needed by August 8, 2026 to reach the November ballot
100%
Volunteer-driven — citizens exercising their constitutional rights
What This Initiative Would Do
The Yellowstone County Data Center Voter Approval Initiative is a citizen-led ballot measure that would require any new or expanded data center in Yellowstone County to receive explicit voter approval before construction begins. If passed, no data center project could break ground without first winning the support of at least two-thirds of Yellowstone County voters in a special election.
This measure does not ban data centers. It ensures that decisions with lasting consequences for local water, energy infrastructure, and taxpayers are made transparently — by the public — rather than quietly by a small number of elected officials or unelected administrators.
"If they lay out all the facts in a transparent manner, there should be no problem getting the public to support them."
Current Status: The initiative was formally submitted to Yellowstone County on June 15, 2025. It is currently under County Attorney review. Once approved, Not My Bill volunteers will begin collecting signatures to place the measure on the November 2026 ballot.
Why Yellowstone County Residents Should Have a Vote
Data centers are not neutral infrastructure. They are industrial-scale facilities that consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, generate significant noise and heat, and place sustained pressure on public utilities and road systems. The costs of accommodating that demand — grid upgrades, water system expansions, road maintenance — are often borne by local ratepayers and taxpayers long after a development is approved.
Utility Rates & Power Grid
Data centers operate around the clock at very high energy loads. Grid upgrades to accommodate them are typically passed to all ratepayers — not just the data center.
Jobs vs. Reality
Data centers are highly automated. Industry projections frequently overstate day-to-day employment — often a handful of technicians per facility, not the workforce advertised.
Water Consumption
Large facilities can consume millions of gallons annually for cooling. In Montana's semi-arid climate, this places real pressure on water supplies that agriculture and municipalities depend on.
Tax Revenue vs. Tax Breaks
Developers routinely seek substantial tax incentives. Communities across the country have discovered that promised tax revenue is often offset or exceeded by the concessions required.
How the Initiative Reaches the Ballot
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The initiative petition was submitted to Yellowstone County on June 15, 2025. The County Attorney reviews the proposed ballot language for legal sufficiency under Montana's local initiative statutes (MCA §§ 7-5-131 through 7-5-137). This review is currently underway.
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Once ballot language is approved, Not My Bill volunteers begin collecting signatures from registered Yellowstone County voters. Approximately 19,000 valid signatures must be gathered by August 8, 2026 to qualify for the November ballot. Petition forms comply with Montana's 2025 statutory framework (SB 11).
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Submitted signatures are verified by county election officials. If the threshold is met, the initiative is certified for the November 2026 general election ballot.
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Yellowstone County voters decide whether to adopt the ordinance. If passed, any future data center proposal must clear a two-thirds voter approval threshold in a special election before construction may proceed.
GET INVOLVED
Volunteers Needed — Signing Begins Soon
The initiative has been submitted. Once the County Attorney approves the ballot language, signature collection begins immediately. We need Yellowstone County residents ready to knock on doors, staff community events, and help reach 19,000 signatures by August 8, 2026.
Signature gatherers are volunteers and regular citizens exercising their rights under the Montana Constitution. No paid-gatherer disclaimers are required for volunteer circulators.
Sign up to volunteer: notmybill.org
Email the campaign: NoDCinYC@gmail.com