In eastern Kentucky, one Hazard resident said voters increasingly see voting as a way to exercise power in their communities.
Jessica Miles, founder of Mountain Laurels Media, said along with rising gas and food prices, and higher utility bills, data center proposals are on voters’ radar for the midterm election.
"If they were to be built or where they're being built, how it's impacting communities," Miles outlined. "Appalachia is no stranger to corporations coming in and extracting what they can."
A Pew Research Center study published early in 2026 found 67% of planned data centers are slated to be built in rural areas, rather than urban tech hubs. Nearly 40% of new facilities are planned for counties currently without operating centers.
Miles recently participated in the Hillbilly Jubilee, a two-day gathering centered on Appalachian history, culture and community organizing. She pointed out there is a new push among residents to harness the region’s history of labor struggles and activism to improve quality of life for future generations of eastern Kentuckians.
"We've struggled before. I think people are really just trying to find their power and see how they can change their communities," Miles observed.
Election Day is Nov. 3. Voters can visit the Kentucky State Board of Elections website or call their local county clerk’s office to find polling locations. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. If you are in line at 6 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.
