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More data centers are coming to Colorado

The drive for additional computing power in the AI era may outweigh the public's fierce opposition.

News

Like it or not, data centers are popping up throughout Colorado.Why it matters: The drive for additional computing power in the artificial intelligence era may outweigh the public&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="fierce opposition" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/15/colorado-poll-data-centers-artificial-intelligence-ai" data-vars-content-id="e4fd5f1c-c2fa-4670-a043-c0e5f3a9ca4e" data-vars-headline="More data centers are coming to Colorado" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/15/colorado-poll-data-centers-artificial-intelligence-ai" target="_self">fierce opposition</a> to the warehouse-size buildings.

Axios Social Club brings mystery dinners to Colorado Springs

Meet fellow locals over dinner at a restaurant we hand-picked.

Things to Do

Axios Social Club is bringing readers together for dinner in downtown Colorado Springs on Tuesday, Oct. 6.Why it matters: Your city is full of interesting people you haven&#x27;t met yet. We&#x27;re making it easier to change that.

Council votes to delay Project Taurus data center decision

The de facto moratorium goes until April 13 , after the city's council elections.

The Colorado Springs City Council agreed Thursday to delay a decision on the Project Taurus data center for seven months after a rowdy 11-hour hearing in which police used a stun gun to subdue an audience member and others shouted profanity and threats at city officials.Why it matters: The uproar demonstrated how the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="intense opposition" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/15/colorado-poll-data-centers-artificial-intelligence-ai" data-vars-content-id="09b42173-b3ee-453b-b9dd-c723defad6f8" data-vars-headline="Council votes to delay Project Taurus data center decision" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/15/colorado-poll-data-centers-artificial-intelligence-ai" target="_self">intense opposition</a> to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data centers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/25/data-centers-ai-electricity-water-politics" data-vars-content-id="09b42173-b3ee-453b-b9dd-c723defad6f8" data-vars-headline="Council votes to delay Project Taurus data center decision" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/08/25/data-centers-ai-electricity-water-politics" target="_self">data centers</a> in Colorado — and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="nationwide" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/22/ai-data-center-backlash-poll" data-vars-content-id="09b42173-b3ee-453b-b9dd-c723defad6f8" data-vars-headline="Council votes to delay Project Taurus data center decision" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/22/ai-data-center-backlash-poll" target="_self">nationwide</a> — has become a political flashpoint and a proxy for broader fears about artificial intelligence.

Project Taurus data center in limbo in Colorado Springs

The controversial project is a test case for the expected expansion of data centers across Colorado.

The company behind Project Taurus is now wavering on whether to build the massive data center after <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="vocal — and menacing — opposition" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/18/data-center-project-taurus-vote-delay" data-vars-content-id="29de64b0-4c10-453e-b59e-2a6842fbfcc0" data-vars-headline="Project Taurus data center in limbo in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/18/data-center-project-taurus-vote-delay" target="_self">vocal — and menacing — opposition</a> from residents.Why it matters: The controversial project is a test case for the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="expected expansion of data centers" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/21/colorado-data-centers-build-growth" data-vars-content-id="29de64b0-4c10-453e-b59e-2a6842fbfcc0" data-vars-headline="Project Taurus data center in limbo in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/21/colorado-data-centers-build-growth" target="_self">expected expansion of data centers</a> across Colorado as the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="artificial intelligence boom" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/22/ai-data-center-backlash-poll" data-vars-content-id="29de64b0-4c10-453e-b59e-2a6842fbfcc0" data-vars-headline="Project Taurus data center in limbo in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/06/22/ai-data-center-backlash-poll" target="_self">artificial intelligence boom</a> collides with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="vehement public resistance" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/15/colorado-poll-data-centers-artificial-intelligence-ai" data-vars-content-id="29de64b0-4c10-453e-b59e-2a6842fbfcc0" data-vars-headline="Project Taurus data center in limbo in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/09/15/colorado-poll-data-centers-artificial-intelligence-ai" target="_self">vehement public resistance</a>.

GOP candidates try to blame state Dems for affordability crisis

Five weeks before ballots go to Colorado voters, the political blame game is taking a turn.

Election

Five weeks before ballots go out to Colorado voters, the political blame game is taking a turn.The intrigue: For Democrats, President Trump is the source of nearly all economic problems.

El Paso County primary election turnout mediocre

The ballot featured competitive Democratic and Republican races for statewide and local offices.

El Paso County&#x27;s registered voter turnout in the recent primary election did not impress.Why it matters: The ballot <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="featured" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/06/23/colorado-voter-guide-what-to-know-about-the-candidates-and-top-races" data-vars-content-id="72a889a0-a9c9-4724-8381-b471c3290d22" data-vars-headline="El Paso County primary election turnout mediocre" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/06/23/colorado-voter-guide-what-to-know-about-the-candidates-and-top-races" target="_self">featured</a> competitive Democratic and Republican races for statewide and local offices. In some cases, the contests essentially determined the winner because the districts skew toward one party.

Colorado Springs' elections discriminate, groups say

The case is about how far the state can go in regulating local election timing for constitutionally protected home-rule cities.

Even before this year&#x27;s midterm election is over, Colorado voting rights groups are targeting Colorado Springs&#x27; 2027 municipal election.Why it matters: The Springs faces the first legal test of Colorado&#x27;s new Voting Rights Act, with advocates alleging the city&#x27;s odd-year April elections disproportionately suppress Black and Hispanic voter turnout.<ul><li>The lawsuit could force the city to move its municipal elections to November — and set a precedent for how Colorado&#x27;s 2025 voting rights law is used against local election systems.</li></ul>Driving the news: A coalition of voting rights groups, led by Common Cause Colorado and the League of Women Voters of the Pikes Peak Region, recently <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="sued the city" data-vars-click-url="https://www.commoncause.org/colorado/press/voting-rights-groups-sue-colorado-springs-over-covra-violation/" data-vars-content-id="85cfb774-b4f4-439a-a8fd-963840537795" data-vars-headline="Colorado Springs&#x27; elections discriminate, groups say" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.commoncause.org/colorado/press/voting-rights-groups-sue-colorado-springs-over-covra-violation/" target="_blank">sued the city</a> over the timing of its elections, alleging it violates election practices that create a &quot;material disparity&quot; in voter participation among protected classes.By the numbers: The plaintiffs cite data from the city&#x27;s last six local elections, from 2017 through 2025, showing average turnout at:<ul><li>18.1% of Black registered voters</li><li>17.8% of Hispanic registered voters</li><li>34% of white registered voters</li></ul>Zoom in: The lawsuit says the racial gap shrinks in November even-year elections. In those elections, the voting rights organizations say average turnout was:<ul><li>61.2% among Black registered voters</li><li>63.6% among Hispanic registered voters</li><li>79.1% among white registered voters</li></ul>The suit argues that moving city elections to November would reduce the disparity and create a more representative electorate because off-cycle elections are easier to miss, less visible and less connected to voting habits built around the November elections.The other side: Springs officials say the lawsuit attacks the city&#x27;s home-rule authority and ignores the benefits of keeping municipal races separate from national politics.<ul><li>Mayor Yemi Mobolade said the current system helps local issues stand on their own instead of being drowned out by presidential, congressional and statewide races.</li><li>Wayne Williams, Mobolade&#x27;s chief of staff and a former Colorado secretary of state, argued that lower turnout may be tied to the nonpartisan nature of municipal elections, where voters cannot rely on party labels.</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: &quot;I find it extremely troubling when people claim that the very election system that elected Colorado Springs&#x27; first Black mayor is somehow inherently exclusionary,&quot; Mobolade <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="told" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cpr.org/2026/06/26/colorado-springs-voting-rights-groups-suing-city/" data-vars-content-id="85cfb774-b4f4-439a-a8fd-963840537795" data-vars-headline="Colorado Springs&#x27; elections discriminate, groups say" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cpr.org/2026/06/26/colorado-springs-voting-rights-groups-suing-city/" target="_blank">told</a> KRCC.Between the lines: This isn&#x27;t the first legal fight about Colorado Springs&#x27; election calendar.<ul><li>The League of Women Voters of the Pikes Peak Region and Citizens Project lost a case in court because it lacked standing to challenge the timing of the city&#x27;s election under the federal Voting Rights Act.</li></ul>The bottom line: The case isn&#x27;t just about Colorado Springs. It&#x27;s about how far the state can go in regulating local elections for constitutionally protected home-rule cities.

Colorado Springs election results: November races set in key districts

Here's a look at the results from local races, based on preliminary vote counts.

El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="cruised to victory" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/07/01/michael-allen-wins-colorado-gop-attorney-general-race" data-vars-content-id="a5e5e8f5-1edf-40c6-9252-26e130a1f8ad" data-vars-headline="Colorado Springs election results: November races set in key districts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2026/07/01/michael-allen-wins-colorado-gop-attorney-general-race" target="_self">cruised to victory</a> in the Republican primary for attorney general, but two Colorado Springs candidates for governor appeared to falter.State of play: Here&#x27;s a look at local results based on preliminary vote counts.

Jessica Killin wins 5th Congressional District race

Her victory sets up a November fight in one of Colorado's reddest congressional districts.

Jessica Killin won the Democratic nomination Tuesday in Colorado&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="5th Congressional District" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/06/23/colorado-5th-congressional-district-democratic-primary-killin-reagan" data-vars-content-id="d0db64a4-bf96-49c7-a1db-df1b1f9aa289" data-vars-headline="Jessica Killin wins 5th Congressional District race" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/06/23/colorado-5th-congressional-district-democratic-primary-killin-reagan" target="_self">5th Congressional District</a> race, defeating Joe Reagan and giving Democrats their preferred challenger against Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank in November.Why it matters: Killin&#x27;s victory sets up a general election fight in one of Colorado&#x27;s reddest congressional districts — one Democrats see as newly competitive.

1-minute voter guide: Democratic race for 5th Congressional District

Democrats Jessica Killin and Joe Reagan share U.S. Army backgrounds and a desire to flip the 5th Congressional District,

Democrats Jessica Killin and Joe Reagan share U.S. Army backgrounds and a desire to flip the 5th Congressional District, but they&#x27;re offering primary voters different visions for the future.Why it matters: Even though the district is seen as strong Republican territory, Democrats believe they have an opportunity to defeat incumbent U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank in November as growth <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="shifts the electorate" data-vars-click-url="https://coloradosun.com/2026/02/10/5th-congressional-district-national-democrats-focus/" data-vars-content-id="e619c397-2c39-4e29-bdbd-a5b85a3cf262" data-vars-headline="1-minute voter guide: Democratic race for 5th Congressional District" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://coloradosun.com/2026/02/10/5th-congressional-district-national-democrats-focus/" target="_blank">shifts the electorate</a> in their direction.

What to know about the 2026 caucuses in Colorado Springs

It's the start of the process for statewide and local candidates to get on the June primary ballot.

Colorado&#x27;s 2026 election season begins Tuesday with El Paso County political party caucuses.Why it matters: It&#x27;s the start of the process for statewide and local candidates to get their names on the June primary ballot.

Election 🗳️

Colorado's 2026 ballot is packed with big policy fights

GOP candidates try to blame state Dems for affordability crisis

What we know and don't know about Victor Marx

Democrats think they can win all GOP seats in Colorado

4 numbers to know in Colorado's governor's race