Voters are also casting their ballots to elect the inaugural mayor of Star Base, along with two additional mayors. All candidates for these positions are employees of SpaceX and are running unopposed.
As of Tuesday, early voting records from the county indicate that 181 individuals, including candidates for mayor and city commissioner, have already participated. Data on the masks eligible for voting in this special Cameron County election has yet to be included in early voting statistics.
It remains unclear why SpaceX and the Masks wish to establish their own city in this area. The company has not provided any feedback to inquiries for clarification.
Eric Gay/AP File
According to Cameron County election manager Remi Garza, the county’s authority over city matters is quite limited.
“They lack the ability to regulate expansion or establish standards in the same manner that local governments can, which can adopt city codes, building regulations, and more,” he noted, emphasizing that cities significantly influence planning and development.
Elon Musk first mentioned the concept of a city called Starbase back in 2021. Coastal Spot is where SpaceX manufactures boosters and engines, as well as launching a massive Starship rocket for test flights.
Eric Gay/AP File
As city governance expands, certain bureaucratic hurdles related to these activities could be mitigated. However, earlier this week, Texas lawmakers voted against a bill that would have granted SpaceX significant control over public beach access adjacent to the launch site.
Generally, SpaceX must secure approval from Cameron County officials to restrict public access to Bocachica Beach and Bocachica State Parks during rocket launches for safety reasons.
Frequent closures have led to legal challenges against SpaceX, inciting protests from local residents and activist groups, including the Carrizo Comecrudo Tribe in Texas, the South Texas Environmental Justice Network, and Border Workers United. As reported by CNBC.
Source: www.nbcnews.com
