SpaceX's Starbase is on the ballot in South Texas

CAMERON COUNTY, Texas. - Early voting is now underway across Texas.

Most voters will decide on things like bond issues and city council candidates, bu in Cameron County voters will decide on making Starbase, the home of Elon Musk's SpaceX headquarters, an official Texas city.

What is Starbase?

Dig deeper:

Starbase is the home of SpaceX's starship development and production facility.

It is currently an unincorporated community within Cameron County, in the Rio Grande Valley, roughly 25 miles east of Brownsville.

There are fewer than 500 people living in the community, which includes about 120 children.

Elon Musk chose to move the SpaceX headquarters from Hawthorne, California to Starbase in 2024. Musk announced the move after California passed a law that blocks schools from requiring teachers to notify parents if their child identifies as transgender.

Starbase special election

What we know:

Earlier this year, a petition was filed to call for an election to make Starbase an official Type C municipality. 

SpaceX says in order to fulfill its mission to travel to Mars, the city will need to be incorporated.

According to the petition and county documents, almost all the signatures on the petitions were homes of SpaceX employees. All live within the community's proposed boundaries. 

On the May 3 ballot, voters will choose if they are For or Against incorporation.

A majority vote is needed to create the new city.

Voters would also vote for a mayor and two commissioners who would represent the people of Starbase, if the measure were to pass.

There is only one candidate for mayor, Bobby Peden, and two candidates for commissioner, Jordan Buss and Jenna Petrzelka.