Three Lincoln County, Nebraska, commissioners face recall push over data center vote

A fight over data centers in Lincoln County, Nebraska, is escalating into a political battle that could stretch into next year.

After rejecting a temporary pause on data center development, three Lincoln County commissioners became the targets of recall petitions backed by residents who wanted that moratorium in place before any large projects move ahead.

What happened?

On July 13, the Lincoln County commission voted down a proposed six-month moratorium on data center development despite strong public pressure to slow the process while clearer regulations are drafted, according to Nebraska Public Media. 

The meeting was packed, and residents asked the board for time to establish rules. Chairman Kent Weems and Commissioner Micaela Wuehler voted for the moratorium, while Commissioners Joseph Hewgley, Christopher Bruns, and Jerry Woodruff voted against it.

The debate comes as counties across Nebraska grapple with a rapid push for data centers. Nebraska Public Media reported that more than a dozen counties are either considering or already using temporary pauses on new projects while they work through zoning rules and oversight.

Much of the opposition focused on the strain such facilities could place on water and power supplies. Local resident Kareleen Monheiser told commissioners: "I understand you want tax relief. But there's gotta be a different way. Where the farmers and ranchers are limited on wells, limited on how much water they can use now, you put a data center anywhere, and that's only going to get worse. Let's be reasonable."

Why does it matter?

The dispute centers on a question many communities are now facing: Who gets to decide how local land, water, and power are used?

Data centers may expand the local tax base, but they can also demand huge amounts of natural resources. In rural communities, that tradeoff can trigger fierce opposition when residents believe their concerns are being brushed aside. The friction was evident at the Lincoln County meeting, where applause from the audience prompted a rebuke from officials. "This is not a pep rally," Weems said. "Please be respectful."

The conflict is now entering a longer and more formal phase. Lincoln County Clerk Rebecca Rossell said the recall process is time-consuming and complex, and state election rules mean any recall vote likely would not be scheduled until January 2027.

What's being done?

The recall campaign moved forward the day after the vote, when David Huebner filed petitions on July 14. The commissioners named in the effort have until Aug. 10 to submit defense statements that, as Nebraska Public Media reported, will circulate with the petitions. For the effort to continue, petitioners must gather more than 2,900 signatures from registered Lincoln County voters, including more than 1,100 from Hewgley's district alone.

At the same time, county officials say regulatory work is already underway. County Development Director Judy Clark argued that a moratorium may not be the best tool, saying zoning rules can evolve and that the county should focus instead on crafting strong conditional-use regulations. "You don't want to pigeonhole yourself into 'have-tos,'" Clark said.

Hewgley said he opposed the moratorium because he believed it would slow meaningful safeguards rather than speed them up. He said the planning commission has already been asked to refine data center rules and that protecting natural resources should be a "no-brainer."

"What hurts me is that people are going to try to burn me at the stake because they disagree, not even with my position because they don't know my position, (but with) a procedural vote about a moratorium," Hewgley said. "That hurts."

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