The creation of the city of Starbase followed one of the nation’s more unusual elections. No campaigning took place and there were no yard signs or other evidence of a consequential vote in the area. According to preliminary results, the measure passed by a whopping 212 to 6 — the kind of margin that had been expected but was very unlike most contests in a deeply polarized nation.
Under state law, a new city can be incorporated after a certain number of residents file a petition to do so, and a majority of voters approve it. Only registered voters who live within its proposed boundaries are able to take part in the election. In the area of Starbase, that was about 280 people, most of whom either work for SpaceX or have a relative who does.
A majority of the eligible voters registered in the area since the start of the year, and 90 percent had done so since 2024. Two-thirds were men, with an average age of about 27. Many had never taken part in an election of any type before. But turnout was more than 75 percent in this one. It was not clear whether Mr. Musk voted.
As part of the incorporation election, voters also chose a slate of elected officials to run the new city, including its new mayor, Bobby Peden, a SpaceX vice president, and two city commissioners. Initially, the candidate for mayor had been a different SpaceX employee, but he was replaced by Mr. Peden on the ballot. Neither responded to requests for comment.
SpaceX has explained little about its plans for the new city beyond its intention to have Starbase take over some functions that the company itself has been conducting, such as managing utilities and roads. Some local residents said there had been talk of connecting the city to a local water system. As it stands, residents must have their water trucked in from Brownsville.
But the company has filed paperwork with the state to spend millions building the school, power plant and the commercial center along with a sushi restaurant near Mr. Musk’s house.
