On Saturday, residents who live near SpaceX’s rocket launch site near Brownsville will vote whether to incorporate the area as billionaire Elon Musk’s proposed city of Starbase, Texas.
Most residents eligible to vote on the matter already work for Musk, according to an investigation by NPR’s Texas Newsroom. Of 283 voters eligible to cast a ballot in the Starbase special election, more than 3 in 5 work for SpaceX, according to LinkedIn profiles and social media bios tallied by the news organization. An additional 20 signed a petition calling for the incorporation vote. Altogether, that means more than two-thirds of the eligible voters deciding on the issue either work for Musk or have already indicated their support for incorporation. Consider it a likely pass.
Even Musk himself is eligible to vote in the election, though it’s unclear whether he’ll make an appearance to cast a ballot himself.
Rio Grande Valley residents and activist groups including Frontera Strong and South Texas Environmental Justice Network will gather Saturday to protest the election, the incorporation of Starbase, Texas, and SpaceX’s encroachment of public beachfront since its establishment.
“Elon Musk’s SpaceX has cut off access to Boca Chica beach since its arrival in the Rio Grande Valley,” South Texas Environmental Justice Network said in an Instagram post. “Now, the company is trying to incorporate Boca Chica into a new SpaceX company town called “Starbase” by hosting an unfair election in which just about 200 residents living nearby—mostly SpaceX employees—can vote!”
The establishment of Starbase, Texas will realize a dream Musk has had since as early as 2021, when he shared the idea on X, the social media platform he owns that was previously called Twitter.
“Creating the city of Starbase, Texas,” he wrote. “From thence to Mars. And hence the Stars.”
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This article appears in Apr 30 – May 13, 2025.
