Voters in Independence, Mo., on Tuesday appeared to have recalled City Council member John Perkins, who had supported billions in tax breaks for a data center backed by Dutch company Nebius. According to the Jackson County Board of Elections, 1,118 residents voted to recall Perkins while 525 voted against it, with only a few ballots outstanding. Perkins, who was not up for re-election soon, previously dismissed the recall as lacking merit, arguing that a single vote should not override years of service.

Recall organizer Mc Kenna Cobb, 31, emphasized that the outcome showed how much smaller elections matter. Nationally, data centers have sparked backlash over electricity costs, environmental concerns, and community disruption. Last year, two Georgia Public Service Commission Republicans lost seats over power costs linked to data centers.

In Independence, a city of 121,000 near Kansas City, residents pushed for the recall after the City Council granted over $6 billion in tax breaks to the $150 billion Nebius project. Organizers criticized Perkins for not engaging the public during negotiations. The vote reflects growing voter skepticism toward large-scale data center developments.