Republican, Governor of New Hampshire
Now: Governor verified October 12, 2026 · source (opens in a new tab)
On your ballot Governor, New Hampshire (certified list (opens in a new tab), verified October 15, 2026)
Photo: United States Senate, public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons (opens in a new tab), cropped.
Checked · How the record reads leaders · Report a change · Corrections
Of 17 statements on the record, 13 raised concerns about data centers and 4 carry no label.
Labels are applied by the record's published rules: two readings of each statement, and a third that reads its source where the two differ. Every label sits beside its statement and its source, and any label can be challenged through Report a change, with the correction logged on the corrections page.
What they said
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Ayotte cited concerns about the amount of energy involved in data centers, as well as water and environmental impacts
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: October 19, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- New Hampshire Public Radio (opens in a new tab), local outlet
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Gov. Ayotte opposed data center proposals in Nottingham and Bow that came forward earlier this year
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: October 19, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- New Hampshire Public Radio (opens in a new tab), local outlet
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Governor Kelly Ayotte has proposed a statewide data center moratorium, citing insufficient state energy resources.
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 16, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- UnionLeader.com (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "proposed a statewide data center moratorium, citing insufficient state energy resources".
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Gov. Ayotte stated she wants to reduce energy prices and that data centers would raise energy costs
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 5, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- WKXL (opens in a new tab), news outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "data centers would raise energy costs".
-
Ayotte responded to concerns about potential artificial intelligence data center in Bow saying she cannot support that
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 3, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- The Pulse of NH (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "she cannot support that".
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Governor Ayotte said the head of ISO New England confirmed that a large data center would raise energy prices in New Hampshire and across New England.
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 2, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- New England News Collaborative (opens in a new tab), news outlet
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Governor Ayotte stated the moratorium is because 'we don't have the energy to do it' and she wants to bring electric prices down, not up.
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 2, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- InDepthNH.org (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- InDepthNH.org (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- The Pulse of NH (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- Connecticut Public (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- New Hampshire Public Radio (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- nenc.news (opens in a new tab), news outlet
- Concord Monitor (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- New Hampshire Public Radio (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- The Pulse of NH (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- Vermont Public (opens in a new tab), local outlet
- New Hampshire Public Radio (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "we don't have the energy to do it and she wants to bring electric prices down, not up".
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During moratorium period, state should study impacts including water draw and noise from data centers
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 2, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- UnionLeader.com (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "During moratorium period, state should study impacts including water draw and noise from data centers".
-
Ayotte said energy supply is not there and state does not want energy costs to go up
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 2, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- UnionLeader.com (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "energy supply is not there and state does not want energy costs to go up".
-
Ayotte said even if one town wants data center it affects everyone's energy rates
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 2, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- UnionLeader.com (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "even if one town wants data center it affects everyone's energy rates".
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Ayotte said data centers take tremendous amount of energy and this is not sustainable in New Hampshire or New England for energy costs
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 2, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- UnionLeader.com (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "data centers take tremendous amount of energy and this is not sustainable in New Hampshire or New England for energy costs".
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Governor Kelly Ayotte stated in response to Bow proposal that she will advocate for towns to decide what is best for them but thinks it is best to institute a moratorium because too many unknowns surround data centers
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 2, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- New Hampshire Bulletin (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "thinks it is best to institute a moratorium because too many unknowns surround data centers".
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Governor Kelly Ayotte told News 9 on Wednesday that she will include a data center moratorium in upcoming budget in House Bill 2
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 2, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- WMUR (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "she will include a data center moratorium in upcoming budget in House Bill 2".
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Ayotte said she spoke with executives of ISO New England which manages regional power transmission system before firming up moratorium opinion
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: September 2, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- UnionLeader.com (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: No label: the words support none. Both readings of the statement held it.
-
New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte stated I support a moratorium on data center construction in New Hampshire because too many unknowns surround these facilities
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source. Label set by a tiebreak.
Where & When: September 1, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- New Hampshire Bulletin (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: A tiebreak: the two first readings differed, and a third reading of the statement and its source decided. The words that set it: "with too many unknowns surrounding these facilities, I think it is best for us to institute a moratorium for the time being".
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Gov. Kelly Ayotte said the head of ISO New England told her that New England can only maybe get one data center of not massive size without jacking up energy prices on people
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: August 21, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- New Hampshire Public Radio (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "New England can only maybe get one data center of not massive size without jacking up energy prices on people".
-
Gov. Kelly Ayotte stated it does not make sense to site a data center in New Hampshire because the state does not have the energy for it and it is not an appropriate location
Context & source notes
Format & Provenance: Paraphrased from source.
Where & When: August 21, 2026.
Primary Sources:
- New Hampshire Public Radio (opens in a new tab), local outlet
Label rationale: Both readings of the statement agreed. The words that set it: "does not make sense to site a data center in New Hampshire because the state does not have the energy for it".
Where we looked
- roster (nga.org (opens in a new tab)): checked October 15, 2026, nothing found; secondary source: the official site https://www.governor.nh.gov/ answered 403 on October 15, 2026; the weekly sweep reads https://www.governor.nh.gov/ again and replaces this source with it when the page names the governor
How they voted
No vote on a data center measure on the record.
Others in this race
- Cinde Warmington Democratic · Governor · the race page
- Stephen Villee Libertarian · Governor · the race page
Something missing?
Know a sourced statement by Kelly Ayotte on data centers that is not here? Send the link. It goes to the record's inbox as a card routed to this person and publishes only after it is read against its source.
Are you Kelly Ayotte or on the campaign? Ask for a correction or send a statement, or email corrections@datacenterrecord.org.
Related
Projects named in these statements
Data Center Record, "Public statements by Kelly Ayotte", https://datacenterrecord.org/speakers/kelly-ayotte, last verified October 23, 2026.
Reusing this page
The structured rows are CC BY-NC 4.0. Link to this page; that is what turns a reuse into a citation. Prose stays under copyright.
Last verified: October 12, 2026.
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