Starbase, Texas
Starbase is a city in Cameron County. Citizens voted to establish Starbase under a 2025 ballot initiative.
Federal officials
The current members of the U.S. Senate from Texas are:
| Office title | Officeholder name | Date assumed office | Party affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
U.S. Senate Texas |
December 2, 2002 |
Republican Party |
|
|
U.S. Senate Texas |
January 3, 2013 |
Republican Party |
To view a map of U.S. House districts in Texas and find your representative, click here.
State officials
The following is a list of the current state executive officials from Texas:
| Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attorney General of Texas | Ken Paxton | Republican | September 18, 2023 |
| Chief of Staff to the Governor of Texas | Robert Black | Republican | November 15, 2024 |
| Governor of Texas | Greg Abbott | Republican | January 20, 2015 |
| Lieutenant Governor of Texas | Dan Patrick | Republican | 2015 |
| Texas Commissioner of Agriculture | Sid Miller | Republican | January 1, 2015 |
| Texas Commissioner of Insurance | Cassie Brown | Nonpartisan | 2021 |
| Texas Secretary of State | Jane Nelson | Republican | January 7, 2023 |
| Texas State Auditor | Lisa Collier | Nonpartisan | January 5, 2016 |
To view a list of state legislators from Texas, click here.
Ballot measures
To view a list of statewide measures in Texas, click here.
To view a list of local ballot measures in Cameron County, Texas, click here.
Local recalls
- See also: Laws governing recall in Texas
No specific grounds are required for recall in Texas. The recall of local officials in Texas is governed by local charters. Because of this, recall laws regarding signature requirements and circulation time vary by locality.[1]
Background
Starbase, Texas, was incorporated following voter approval of a ballot initiative on May 3, 2025. Previously, the unincorporated area was known as Boca Chica Village or Kopernik Shores.[2][3][4]
In 2014, Gov. Rick Perry (R) announced that SpaceX would construct a commercial spaceport at the site, with investment from the Texas Enterprise Fund. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, said, "SpaceX is excited to expand our work in Texas with the world’s first commercial launch complex designed specifically for orbital missions. We appreciate the support of Gov. Perry and numerous other federal, state and local officials who have partnered with us to make this vision a reality."[5][6]
In 2021, SpaceX informed the Cameron County Commissioners Court that Musk was interested in incorporating the area as Starbase. County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr. (D) said, "If SpaceX and Elon Musk would like to pursue down this path, they must abide by all state incorporation statutes. Cameron County will process any appropriate petitions in conformity with applicable law."[7][8]
As of 2025, in Texas, a ballot initiative was required for incorporation. Supporters needed signatures from at least 10% of the qualified voters within the area that would become Starbase, Texas. On December 11, 2024, proponents filed 70 signatures.[9] Cameron County Elections Administrator Remi Garza said about 154 people were registered to vote in Starbase.[10] An affidavit from SpaceX's Senior Manager of Spaceport Operations reported that the area had just under 500 residents.[11]
On February 10, 2025, County Judge Treviño, Jr. announced that the signature requirement had been met and ordered the measure to be placed on the May 3, 2025, ballot.[12] He said, "If the election passes, this will be the newest town in Cameron County since Los Indios in 1995. We look forward to seeing the outcome of this election."[13]
Kathryn Lueders, the Starbase General Manager for SpaceX, said, “To continue growing the workforce necessary to rapidly develop and manufacture Starship, we need the ability to grow Starbase as a community. That is why we are requesting that Cameron County call an election to enable the incorporation of Starbase as the newest city in the Rio Grande Valley. Incorporating Starbase will streamline the processes required to build the amenities necessary to make the area a world class place to live—for the hundreds already calling it home, as well as for prospective workers eager to help build humanity’s future in space."[14]
The organization South Texas Environmental Justice Network (STEJN) opposed the effort, stating that incorporation would allow for SpaceX, through Starbase, to close access to public beaches. STEJN stated, "Boca Chica Beach is meant for the people, not Elon Musk to control. For generations, residents have visited Boca Chica beach for fishing, swimming, recreation, and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe has spiritual ties to the beach. They should be able to keep access."[15]
Voters approved the ballot initiative on May 3, 2025, with 212 (97.3%) voting 'Yes' and six (2.8%) voting 'No.' Musk, responding to the results, said, "Starbase, Texas is now a real city!"[16][17]
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ San Antonio Express-News, "Unusual ballot features Fredericksburg councilman as recall target and mayoral contender," May 3, 2012
- ↑ USGS The National Map, "Kopernik Shores," accessed May 6, 2025
- ↑ Forbes, "Elon Musk Wants To Set Up A City Named Starbase Around His Texas Rocket Launch Site," March 2, 2021
- ↑ San Antonio Express-News, "SpaceX company town poised to be Texas' newest city," April 30, 2025
- ↑ SpaceNews, "Gov. Perry Announces State Incentives Bringing SpaceX Commercial Launch Facility, 300 Jobs to the Brownsville Area," August 4, 2014
- ↑ Houston Chronicle, "Texas, SpaceX announce spaceport deal near Brownsville," August 4, 2014
- ↑ Cameron County, Texas, "SpaceX Incorporation Inquiry," March 2, 2021
- ↑ Business Insider, "Elon Musk is trying to create a new city called 'Starbase' at SpaceX's Texas launch site," March 3, 2021
- ↑ Cameron County, Texas, "Petition Requesting an Election for the Incorporation of Starbase, Texas, as a Type-C General Law Municipality," December 11, 2024
- ↑ KRGV, "Cameron County approves election to make SpaceX's Starbase its own city," February 12, 2025
- ↑ Cameron County, Texas, "Affidavit Regarding Number of Inhabitants of Proposed City of Starbase at Dwelling Addresses (with Attached Inhabitants Database Information)," December 11, 2024
- ↑ Cameron County, Texas, "Cameron County Judge’s Order Finding Satisfactory Proof in Support of Statutory Requirements Being Met for Petition for Incorporation of Starbase as a Type C Municipality and Ordering Election on the Same," February 10, 2025
- ↑ Cameron County, Texas, "Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr. Signs Order For Starbase Election," February 12, 2025
- ↑ EuroNews, "Elon Musk wants to turn SpaceX's Starbase site into a Texas city," accessed February 18, 2025
- ↑ The Guardian, "Elon Musk’s company town: SpaceX employees vote to create ‘Starbase’," May 3, 2025
- ↑ Fox Business, "Starbase, home to Elon Musk's SpaceX, to officially become a Texas city," May 5, 2025
- ↑ Associated Press, "Musk gets his Texas wish. SpaceX launch site is approved as the new city of Starbase," May 3, 2025
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