Residents near the Rio Grande Valley will soon have the opportunity to vote on whether to incorporate a new town—Starbase, Texas—after a special election was approved. The proposal, backed by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, aims to establish a municipality around SpaceX’s growing presence in Boca Chica, where the company has been launching rockets and developing infrastructure since 2014.
Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr. confirmed that the petition for incorporation met statutory requirements, officially clearing the way for the vote. If approved, Starbase would become a Type C municipality, covering less than two square miles and housing between 201 and 4,999 residents.
“Starbase, Texas, will soon be an official new city,” Musk announced following the approval.
A Vote for the Future of SpaceX’s Community
The special election will take place in May 2025, with early voting available in April. Local voters will decide whether to formally incorporate the area, a move that could bring significant changes to the region.
“Incorporating Starbase will streamline the processes required to build the amenities necessary to make the area a world-class place to live,” said Starbase General Manager Kathryn Lueders. She emphasized that incorporation would benefit both current residents and prospective workers eager to be part of SpaceX’s ambitious space exploration efforts.
If approved, Starbase would be the first new town in Cameron County since Los Indios in 1995. Judge Treviño expressed anticipation for the election, stating, “We look forward to seeing the outcome.”
Musk’s Expanding Footprint in Texas
This move marks yet another significant step in Musk’s Texas expansion. Over the past few years, he has relocated the headquarters of Tesla, SpaceX, and social media platform X from California to Texas. Governor Greg Abbott welcomed the news, declaring on social media that “Starbase, Texas is the future of America.”
Musk initially floated the idea of Starbase in December 2023, highlighting SpaceX’s role in the South Texas community. If the incorporation succeeds, it would join a historical trend of company towns, similar to Pullman, Illinois, and Hershey, Pennsylvania. More recently, tech giants like Facebook and Google have explored similar initiatives with projects such as Willow Village in Menlo Park, California and Downtown West in San Jose, California.
As election day approaches, the residents near Brownsville and South Padre Island will have to decide whether Musk’s vision for Starbase aligns with their own. Will Starbase become the next hub of space innovation, or will it remain a private spaceport? The future of this high-tech Texas town now rests in the hands of local voters.
