Brownsville, Texas — Texas has a brand new city, and it’s named Starbase. A recent vote held on Saturday determined the fate of a section of south Texas, officially turning it into a new city focused around Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The results of the vote revealed a decisive victory for the tech billionaire and his rocket enterprise, with the incorporation measure receiving overwhelming support. The final tally showed 173 votes in favor and only 4 against, far exceeding the 143 votes required for the measure to pass.
“It’s officially statistically impossible for the measure to fail,” stated Cameron County Elections Administrator Remi Garza on Saturday night. “Cameron County is about to have a new city.” Following the successful vote, county commissioners will canvas the results within the next two weeks. Subsequently, a judge will issue an order to declare the official incorporation of the new city.
The newly incorporated city of Starbase spans approximately 1½ square miles, located at the southern tip of Texas, adjacent to the Mexico border. This area not only serves as the headquarters for SpaceX but is also where the company constructs its rocket boosters and engines, in addition to launching its massive Starship rocket for test flights.
The ballot outcome represents a significant win for Musk, particularly in light of the backlash he has faced over recent months due to his association with President Donald Trump’s administration. Musk was appointed as the head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he oversaw extensive layoffs and budget cuts across federal agencies. This involvement sparked protests nationwide and negatively impacted profits at his electric vehicle company, Tesla.
With the incorporation of Starbase, Musk's vision for a company town that he first proposed publicly in 2021 has finally come to fruition. The election on Saturday not only established the new city but also elected its inaugural mayor, Bobby Pedden, along with two city commissioners, Jordan Buss and Jenna Petrzelka. Notably, all candidates ran unopposed, and each is currently employed by SpaceX.
According to county election records, there were 283 eligible voters in the special election held in Cameron County. Voter eligibility was determined based on whether a resident's home fell within the proposed city boundaries. Despite the incorporation, neither SpaceX nor Musk has provided specifics regarding the motivations behind establishing a city around the rocket company's operations.
There is speculation that achieving greater municipal control could potentially alleviate some bureaucratic hurdles and restrictions that currently affect SpaceX's testing and launch operations. Presently, the company must secure permission from Cameron County authorities to close highways and limit public access to Boca Chica Beach and Boca Chica State Park during rocket launches. These frequent closures have led to legal complaints against SpaceX and incited protests from local residents and activist groups, including the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe of Texas, the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, and Border Workers United, as reported by CNBC.
Now that SpaceX operates within the newly established city of Starbase, changes to the operational framework may be on the horizon, albeit not without potential pushback. “Right now that authority lies solely within Cameron County and my office, and we think that we’ve proven to be good collaborators and partners with SpaceX in their operations, as well as in providing sufficient notice and public access to Boca Chica Beach,” commented Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino in an interview with NBC News. Trevino emphasized that any modifications to the existing procedures would be unwarranted, stating, “If it’s not broken, it doesn’t need to be fixed.”
