SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket is prepared for a third launch from the company’s Boca Chica launchpad on an uncrewed test flight, near Brownsville, Texas, U.S. March 13, 2024.
Joe Skipper | Reuters
Voters in a part of south Texas that is home to Elon Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, will decide Saturday whether to officially turn a small, coastal stretch at the southern tip of the Lone Star State into a city named Starbase.
If the measure passes, which seems likely, the newly incorporated city would cover only about 1½ square miles, but it would be a much-needed win for the tech billionaire who has had a bruising past few months.
In the first weeks of President Donald Trump’s administration, Musk was a mainstay at the White House, flexing his temporary role as chief of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which oversaw cuts and widespread layoffs across federal agencies.
But while DOGE projects helped Musk gain enormous power and influence, his reputation has taken a beating in the process. His outsize role in the Trump administration and his efforts to downsize the federal workforce have made him the target of protests around the country. And his electric car company, Tesla, reported a steep drop in profits last month.
But Saturday’s vote is expected to be a sure victory for the controversial billionaire. For one, most of the 283 eligible voters — residents of Cameron County whose homes would fall within the boundaries of the proposed new city — are SpaceX employees or have some connection to the company.
Voters will also be choosing the first mayor of Starbase and two city commissioners. The candidates for all three positions are employees of SpaceX and are running unopposed.
As of Tuesday, 181 people had already cast early ballots, according to county election records, including the candidates for mayor and city commissioners. Musk, who is eligible to vote in this Cameron County special election, has not yet shown up in early voting data.
It’s not clear why Musk or SpaceX want to turn the area into their own city. The company did not respond to a request for comment.
Remi Garza, head of elections for Cameron County, said counties are usually more limited in their authority over cities.
“They don’t have the ability to sort of control growth or set standards the same way the municipality could, where they could adopt city codes, building codes and things like that,” he said, adding that cities can exert greater influence over planning and development.
Musk first publicly discussed the idea of a city named Starbase in 2021. The coastal spot is where SpaceX builds its boosters and engines and launches its huge Starship rocket on test flights.
Having greater municipal control could ease some of the red tape around those activities. Earlier this week, however, Texas lawmakers voted against a bill that would have given SpaceX great control over public beach access near its launch facility.
Normally, SpaceX must obtain permission from authorities in Cameron County to close a highway and shut down public access to Boca Chica Beach and Boca Chica State Park to keep people safe during rocket launches.
The frequent closures have contributed to legal complaints against SpaceX, and have drawn protests from local residents and activists, including the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, the South Texas Environmental Justice Network and Border Workers United, as reported by CNBC.
