Artificial intelligence and data center expansion ranked last among voter priorities in the 2026 U.S. midterm elections. According to exit polls conducted by NBC News and SSRS, only 56 percent of respondents considered AI and data centers a decisive or important factor in their voting decisions.
This placed the topic at the absolute bottom of the five surveyed issues. Government corruption led the list at 90 percent, followed closely by the cost of living at 89 percent, the war in Iran at 74 percent, and immigration enforcement at 73 percent.
While public interest and debate surrounding artificial intelligence have surged in recent months, the issue ultimately trailed every other major policy topic by a wide margin. Understanding how voters prioritize emerging technologies against traditional economic and geopolitical concerns matters for shaping future tech policy.