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Butte-Silver Bow County Judge Seeks More Information in Data Center Ballot Initiative Lawsuit
Judge Joseph seeks additional briefing as 406 People First argues the county’s deadline mistake should not block the data center initiative from the ballot.
- On Wednesday, District Court Judge Frank Joseph presided over a hearing regarding a Butte-Silver Bow citizen initiative to limit data centers, where a temporary restraining order remains in effect requiring the county to prepare the measure for the November ballot.
- Butte-Silver Bow County Clerk Cynthia Sherman invalidated the initiative, citing a 2025 statute change that moved the signature submission deadline from 75 days to 85 days before the November election.
- Attorney John Meyer, representing 406 People First, argued that equitable estoppel should apply due to the county's misleading actions, while the county maintains the initiative "does not meet the requirements set forth in the statute."
- Judge Joseph ordered both sides to submit final briefings by 5 p.m. on Monday, stating he lacks authority to order a special election while dismissing claims that county errors were intentional.
- Nationwide, $64 billion in data center projects have been blocked or delayed by local opposition, as residents increasingly utilize ballot initiatives to challenge rapid infrastructure expansion in their communities.
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13 Articles
13 Articles
Montana Standard+3 Reposted by 3 other sources
B-SB data center ballot initiative TRO remains; county to continue filing with state
Despite stating that signatures collected for the data centers ballot initiative didn’t meet the July 13 deadline established by state law, a district judge didn’t make a ruling about the petitioners’ lawsuit.
Yellowstone County data center ballot initiative stopped by courts
On Tuesday, a Yellowstone County District Court judge upheld the state’s largest county’s decision to invalidate a proposed ballot initiative that would have required two-thirds of the residents’ approval before constructing a data center.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources13
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center11Last UpdatedBias Distribution85% Center
Bias Distribution
- 85% of the sources are Center
85% Center
15%
C 85%
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