The joint statement, dated June 23, 2026, places the project within a broader national discussion about data centers. It does not announce a final construction decision, a completion date or a new local approval.

A phased project announced in 2022

Catawba County, Conover, Hickory, Maiden and the Catawba County Economic Development Corporation announced Microsoft’s plan in November 2022. The proposal calls for at least $1 billion in investment to develop four data centers in phases over a 10-year period.

That scale would make the project a significant long-term development issue for the governments involved. For Conover, the potential effects include land use, infrastructure, utility demand, the local tax base and economic development. Those are areas that can affect residents, taxpayers, businesses and local government planning even as the project’s eventual footprint and effects remain unsettled.

The June statement characterizes the development as advancing, but it does not provide a final construction cost, current construction status, exact sites, projected power or water demand, incentive terms, expected tax receipts or a next regulatory decision. It also does not establish which of the planned facilities, if any, would be located within Conover.

Questions grow as project advances

The statement’s reference to community-impact questions does not describe confirmed harms. Instead, it acknowledges issues that local officials and the public may weigh as a large, phased data-center proposal moves forward.

The distinction matters because the project remains a plan with a stated investment target and development timeline, rather than a completed four-facility buildout. The available public update confirms the proposal’s announced scope and the participating local governments, but it does not establish how much of the development has been built or when the full plan would be completed.

For now, the June 23 statement is an update on an ongoing, multi-jurisdictional effort. Any future decisions involving construction, utilities, land use, incentives or local approvals would determine more precisely how the project affects Conover and the surrounding Catawba County communities.

For residents, the bottom line is simple: there will be no City of Conover mayor or council election in 2027. Regular municipal elections instead resume in even-numbered years beginning in 2028.

No municipal election in Conover in 2027

Session Law 2026-18 directs that no municipal elections shall be conducted in the City of Conover in 2027. That means no Conover mayor/council ballot—along with the usual 2027 campaign season—will occur.

Which terms get extended (to cover the gap)?

The session law also extends certain terms by one year to account for the skipped 2027 election cycle:

• Three council members with terms set to expire in 2027 are extended by one year.
• The mayor and two council members with terms set to expire in 2029 are also extended by one year.

When elections return—and what stays the same

After the 2027 pause, the law says regular municipal elections in Conover resume in even-numbered years beginning in 2028.

Importantly, it also preserves the existing approach to balancing turnover from election to election: the resume in 2028 is done with the same staggering of terms as when elections were conducted in the odd-numbered years.

What this means for voters and potential candidates

Voters: If you were expecting a mayor/council election (and related decisions) in 2027, plan on the next regular municipal election being in 2028.

Candidates: If you’re thinking about running for mayor or council, shift your organizing and planning to match the 2028 even-year municipal election rhythm—rather than a 2027 ballot. For the most accurate, practical calendar details, watch for updates from local election officials as the 2028 cycle approaches.

Where to confirm the seat-by-seat language

For the exact Conover provisions (including which roles/terms are extended), readers can review Session Law 2026-18 and local election-timing summaries published for Catawba County’s municipalities.

Sources

• North Carolina Session Law SL 2026-18 (HB 1035) — Conover municipal-election provisions (PDF)
• Catawba County Elections — Law changes / City & Town election timing notes (June 2026 updates)