House Elections Committee, May 14, 2026 (Photo Courtesy of Texas Impact)
Texas Impact | May 14, 2026
The Texas House Elections Committee met May 13 to discuss a number of items such as election monitoring, citizenship and voting, and election administration staffing needs put forth in the Interim Charges by Speaker Burrows.
The hearing lasted for more than seven hours—and a second hearing is expected in early August to continue the conversation and address topics not covered yesterday.
Unlike several of this spring’s interim committee hearings, this hearing was open to public testimony as well as invited speakers.
I strongly urge everyone to listen to at least part of the hearing. (Note: A discussion of particular interest to our communities is related to the interim charge on “Election Administration Staffing Needs” which starts at 6:40:47.)
The main reason I hope everyone will listen to this hearing is not because of the information you will glean, but because of the process you will witness. Right there in room E2.102 of the Texas State Capitol, people with widely different educational backgrounds, political affiliations, religious beliefs (if any), and life experiences spent an entire day trying to learn from one another how best to protect and preserve the uniformly beloved civic practice of voting.
As I listened to hours and hours of testimony, I noticed my respect for the legislative process growing. Moreover, I noticed that the line between “us” (i.e. people who I believe share my political opinions and views) and “them” (i.e. people who I believe don’t share my political opinions and views) blurred and then disappeared altogether.
At the beginning of the hearing, I saw Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and progressives. By the end of the hearing, I saw only people who were trying to figure out how to solve problems and ensure that we have elections that work for everyone. The lines of demarkation blurred not because everyone put aside their particular point of view, but precisely because everyone was testifying to their individual experience in a context of orderliness and respect, with the intention to arrive at the common good. It is this quality in particular, that makes civic participation such an effective spiritual practice.
For me, the heart of religious and spiritual practice is about letting go the notion of being small, isolated individuals and realizing our true nature—as being one with God and one another. All serious traditions have this as a foundational tenet. Christians use phrases such as “we are all parts of one body” and “we are made in the image and likeness of God.” In pointing to the illusion of separation, Buddhism teaches that “there is no self and other.” "The Fourfold Song" (Shir Meruba), a foundational teaching by Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, describes “the voice of holiness” as “the song of the soul, the song of the nation, the song of humanity, the song of the world.” Islam emphasizes surrender (islam) of the small self to God (Allah). And even in our common civic tradition, we say "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of many, one) and call ourselves the United States of America. Traditionally, our civic practices have supported and reinforced this practice of transcendence from the part to the whole. Admittedly, it has often been a violent and bloody process, but civic participation offers another way, if we will only use it.
To the extent we “duke things out” in the public square, we will not have to fight it out on the battlefield.
– Sr. Christine Stephens
Hearings such as the ones that are being held now at the Capitol are a perfect opportunity to practice transcending our small, limited perspectives. Simply through listening to others with whom we might disagree in a setting such as these, we can come to a deeper understanding if we are open to it.
I know of many good and sincere groups trying to bridge the deep differences in our county by bringing together people with different opinions for meaningful dialogue. I very much admire the effort. But if you want to contribute to the public discourse and be a part of finding communal solutions, just go to a city council meeting or attend one of these hearings with the same attitude of openness. It’s free—and educational too!
Civic life, practiced with the same attitude of mind and heart we bring to our faith practices, can transform us personally and collectively. The opportunity is right here, begging to be taken.
Upcoming Texas House Committee Meetings Schedule
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Rebecca McIlwain (Courtesy photo)
Rebecca McIlwain describes herself as "a mother, grandmother, active citizen, naturalist, and spiritual aspirant. Spent 10 years as a Zen monk and most of my work life in community organizing. My life has been about staying engaged in the world from a place of peace and awareness." This post is republished from the Substack blog of Texas Impact, an interfaith advocacy organization.