On Tuesday, Nov. 3, University of Texas at Austin students lined up to vote at the Texas Union. Candidate signs lined the walkways around campus, and volunteers, campaigners and even some candidates gathered outside to encourage people to vote while the polls were open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Some groups were handing out free donuts, and others gave away “Hot People Vote” stickers.
More than 9.8 million Texans voted in the 2026 midterm elections, up from 8.1 million in 2022. Turnout reached 51.6% of registered voters, just below the 53% recorded in 2018. About 7.7 million of the 2026 voters voted before Election Day. At UT, 11,609 voters voted early at the Texas Union and 7,106 voted early at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, according to the Travis County Clerk. Anyone registered in Travis County can vote at these locations, not just UT students.
Behind those lines were weeks of work. Students and other volunteers set up tables on and near campus to register voters. They carried applications for first-time voters and address-update forms for students who had moved, an important step in a state that doesn’t allow online registration.
TX Votes, a nonpartisan student organization at UT, led much of that effort. The group registers voters, educates students about the electoral process and encourages turnout. TX Votes held Voterpalooza on Oct. 22 at the Turtle Pond, a free event with live music, food and voter information, during early voting.
UT’s influence extended beyond the polls. Six of the eight candidates elected statewide earned degrees from the university. Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa graduated with a B.A. in government and Plan II in 1996. U.S. Sen.-elect James Talarico also received a B.A. in government in 2011. Lt. Gov.-elect Vikki Goodwin graduated with a B.B.A. in 1989 and a master’s degree in public affairs from the LBJ School in 1991.
Attorney General-elect Nathan Johnson earned his law degree from UT in 1993, while Comptroller-elect Sarah Eckhardt earned hers in 1998. Eckhardt also has a master’s degree in public affairs from UT. Finally, Railroad Commissioner-elect Jon Rosenthal graduated with a B.S. in mechanical engineering in 1991.
The other two were Agriculture Commissioner-elect Clayton Tucker and Land Commissioner-elect Benjamin Flores. Neither attended UT.
For a campus that spent the fall urging students to vote, the results highlighted UT’s connection to six of the state’s newest statewide officeholders. The signs along the walkways will come down, but the students who lined up on Nov. 3 will be voting for years to come.