Nevada Voters Want Limits on Data Center Growth
More than 8 in 10 Worry about Water as Preference for Limits Spans Party and Regional Lines
PHOENIX (October 7, 2026)- Nevada voters are highly concerned about growth's impact on the state's water supply and prefer limiting additional large data centers over encouraging more development, according to Noble Predictive Insights’ (NPI) latest Nevada Public Opinion Pulse (NVPOP). Nearly all registered voters are concerned to some degree about the impact growth can have on Nevada’s water, and majorities of voters are against the development of new data centers.
This NVPOP, conducted from September 22-26, 2026, surveyed 800 registered voters in Nevada, yielding a margin of error of ±3.46%.
Water Concern Cuts Across Nevada
Concern about the effects of growth and development on Nevada's water supply stands at 83%, including 48% who are very concerned.
Concern cuts across traditional partisan divides, reaching 81% among Republicans, 87% among Democrats, and 82% among Independents and nonpartisan voters. Regionally, concern is higher in metro areas than it is in rural Nevada. Total concern reaches 87% in Washoe County and 83% in Clark County, while still high at 78% among rural voters.
"Nevada is one of the driest states in the country, and voters know it," said Mike Noble, NPI Founder & CEO. "It doesn’t matter how much additional tax revenue data centers and new residents bring in; Nevadans can’t drink tax dollars if there isn’t enough water to go around.”
A Majority Opposes More Large Data Centers
On the hot-button issue of the season, Nevadans aren’t that much different than other voters in the southwest. Registered Nevada voters oppose additional large data centers by 23 points. Intensity is also higher among opponents than supporters. Among the 57% of voters who oppose additional data centers, 36% strongly oppose more development, compared with 21% who only somewhat oppose it. On the other hand, among the 34% of supporters, 10% strongly support new data center construction, while 24% only somewhat support.
"Opposition is strong and support is soft," Noble said. "That’s what happens when opponents have a clear, understandable message like ‘draining natural resources’ and supporters have less tangible benefits like ‘economic development and investments.’"
Limits Win When the Tradeoff Is Explicit
When voters are presented with the choice between the “pros” of investment, jobs, and tax revenue on one side and the “cons” of water use, electricity demand, energy bills, and infrastructure costs on the other, most would opt for limits on data centers. The share of voters who say the cons outweigh the pros leads by 36 points (59% limit, 23% expand).
The position opposing data center expansion led among Democrats by 58 points (15% expand, 73% limit) and independent voters by 37 (20% expand, 57% limit). Republicans – perhaps because of the pro-AI messaging from the Trump Administration – are more likely than other parties to favor expansion, but still prefer to limit their growth.
As mentioned previously, Nevada fits a broader Western pattern in NPI's recent polling. In Arizona, 57% of registered voters opposed the construction of additional large data centers. In Utah, 60% opposed. Nevada's 57% opposition places the state squarely in the same regional conversation about water, electricity, and infrastructure.
"The economic-development case has an audience, but it does not win once voters weigh the resource costs," Noble said. "Across Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, the public is asking leaders to show how data-center growth will fit within real limits on water, power, and infrastructure."
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Methodology: This poll was conducted by Noble Predictive Insights from September 22-26, 2026, and surveyed Nevada registered voters via an opt-in online panel. In total, NPI interviewed 800 registered voters and 708 likely voters, determined through screening questions. The sample was weighted to reflect Nevada's voter population by gender, region, age, party affiliation, race/ethnicity, education, and 2024 vote recall using recent voter file data, the Nevada Secretary of State's Office, and recent Census data. The margin of error was +/- 3.46% for registered voters and +/- 3.68% for likely voters. All current election, candidate-trust, and ballot-measure findings use likely voters. Numbers may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Media Contact:
Veronica Sutliff, Noble Predictive Insights, v.sutliff@npredictive.com, (602) 390-5248
About Noble Predictive Insights: As a nonpartisan public opinion polling, market research, and data analytics firm, Noble Predictive Insights exists to transform how leaders make decisions by delivering data-based solutions and predictive insights that provide a clear path forward. We bridge the gap between research and strategy with customized strategic research, a hyper-focus on impact, and being true partners with our clients. Noble Predictive Insights (formerly OH Predictive Insights) is a 2023 Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company in the Southwest region, and is ranked in the top 15 most accurate pollsters as well as in the top 5 for lowest average bias in the 2021-22 election cycle by FiveThirtyEight. For more information, please call (602) 641-6565 or visit our website at www.noblepredictiveinsights.com.
