Fire Alarms Pause Voting at Texas Union Polling Site
Voting resumed about 10 minutes later, and UTPD is asking the public to help identify a person of interest.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Elections
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Voters heading to the Texas Union on the University of Texas campus saw their Election Day interrupted when two fire alarms went off and the building was evacuated. Voting paused and resumed about 10 minutes later.
Why it matters
For Austinites who vote at campus sites, a disruption like this can mean a longer wait or a lost voting window, and it is still unclear whether the alarms were linked to a suspect UTPD is trying to identify. Police say the person is not believed to be affiliated with the university.
The disruption lasted about 10 minutes at the Texas Union, one of the campus polling places in Austin, with two fire alarms activated during voting hours that were set to run until 7 p.m. UTPD has not said whether the alarms affected any ballots or how many voters were turned away during the pause.
The players
University of Texas Police Department (UTPD)
The campus police agency investigating the two fire alarm incidents at the Texas Union and seeking help identifying a person of interest.
University of Texas at Austin
The public university whose Texas Union building served as an Election Day polling site and was evacuated during the alarms.
The details
The University of Texas Police Department is investigating two fire alarm activations at the Texas Union, which served as a polling location on November 3. The building was evacuated and voting was briefly paused before operations resumed about 10 minutes later. UTPD released an image of an individual witnesses identified as a possible suspect and is asking the public for help identifying them, and is treating the incidents as a criminal offense.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Two fire alarms went off at the Texas Union and voting was paused.
About 10 minutes later: Voting operations at the polling site resumed.
November 3, 2026, 7 p.m.: Scheduled close of voting at the site.
The Texas Context
Campus polling sites in Austin operate under the Texas Election Code, which sets how polling places pause and resume operations during emergencies. This incident at the Texas Union is a reminder of how those rules play out when a campus building is evacuated mid-election.
If you vote at a campus site, expect that polling staff may pause operations during an emergency and that voting can resume after a short delay. Check your polling location before you head out, and plan for the 7 p.m. close if you are voting late in the day.
The takeaway
Election Day disruptions at campus polling sites can be brief, but they still matter for anyone trying to cast a ballot before the polls close. If you are voting near UT, confirm your location with the Travis County Clerk before you go.
Further reading
For more on how voting is run in the region, see Elections coverage across Austin and Travis County.
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