Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s aspiration to achieve urban designation for SpaceX’s facility in southern Texas could come to fruition this Saturday, as voters prepare to approve Starbase as the new municipality.
It seems quite likely that a senior SpaceX official will be appointed as the mayor of this emerging settlement. The voting population, mostly comprised of SpaceX employees based at the Boca Chica site near the Mexico border, also includes individuals connected to companies whose millionaire leaders have long aimed to send humans to Mars.
Most ballots will be cast ahead of the 7 PM deadline on Saturday (0100 GMT). Interestingly, Musk is registered to vote, but according to Cameron County Election Coordinator Remi Garza, he hadn’t participated by the end of the early voting period on April 29.
There are roughly 500 residents around the Cameron County base, predominantly living on land owned by SpaceX or its workforce. This new governing status would enable Starbase to oversee local development, navigate regulatory challenges, collect taxes, and establish local ordinances.
The vote arrives at a challenging moment for Musk, who is anticipated to step back from his unofficial role in President Donald Trump’s circle. Although the mayoral election is happening on Saturday, Bobby Peden, SpaceX’s vice president of testing and launch, is the sole candidate for the position.
Launched in 2019, the Texas base serves as a critical site for the company’s rocket testing. However, not everyone is optimistic about the future of this SpaceX community.
Bekah Hinojosa, co-founder of the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, has voiced concerns regarding environmental repercussions, warning of potential “more environmental destruction.” She fears that there could be illegal dumping, hazardous rocket operations, increased seismic activity, and significant wildlife habitat destruction in the area.
Interestingly, it was Musk who suggested the name “Starbase” four years ago in a social media post. Last December, SpaceX’s general manager, Kathryn Lueders, urged local officials to grant city status, asserting that SpaceX already provides essential services such as roads, education, and healthcare.
Lueders has assured that forming a new city will not hinder SpaceX’s efforts to reduce environmental impact. SpaceX has yet to respond to requests for comments.
The site overlooks the Gulf of Mexico—recently renamed by Trump as the Gulf of America—and there’s ongoing debate over access to Boca Chica Beach. This week, the Texas House Committee shot down a bill proposed by Republican lawmakers.
Activist Hinojosa has noted that SpaceX has restricted public access to the beach for years, raising fears that the new vote could further limit beach access. The indigenous Kariso/Comekurd community from the region has also expressed grievances.
Concerns have escalated since 2024, when the Environmental Protection Agency and Texas officials traced contamination spills back to SpaceX’s activities in local waterways. In a somewhat flippant response to reports of a damaged bird’s nest, Musk joked on social media that to atone for this “heinous crime,” he would abstain from eating omelets for a week.
