$25M proposed for voter engagement at salons, barber shops

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(The Center Square) – Under a new proposal in the Illinois legislature, $25 million in state taxpayer-funded grants would be used for barbers, nail technicians and other professionals to promote voter registration and civic engagement.

State Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, filed House Bill 5812 on Thursday.

“When you talk about voting, I think it's the bedrock of our democracy,” Ford told The Center Square.

Ford said about 80 million eligible voters did not cast a ballot in the 2024 election.

“Lots of politicians across the state visit barber shops, beauty shops, nail shops and other locations to campaign during election time. These are concentrated areas that we could actually work with other professionals to have civic engagement,” Ford said.

HB 5812 provides that $25 million, “or so much of that amount as may be necessary,” be appropriated to the Illinois Secretary of State for grants to Data Foundation Inc. to assist licensees under the Barber, Cosmetology, Esthetics, Hair Braiding and Nail Technology Act in promoting voter registration and civic engagement.

When asked if his colleagues in the state legislature might prefer to see the money spent on education or addressing the state’s pension liabilities, Ford admitted that $25 million is a big sum.

“I believe that the more people that we get participating in voting, it sends a strong message to Washington, D.C. for us to get more federal dollars back to help our budgets in Illinois. So voting participation sends a strong message for fighting for revenue from Washington, D.C. to come back to Illinois,” Ford told The Center Square.

Ford expressed the hope that his bill would have the “double impact” of also increasing census participation.

The Chicago Democrat said the program would have guardrails to protect taxpayer dollars.

“We then have a real fight for more federal dollars. Right now, Illinois is a donor state,” Ford said.

Ford is running against Republican Chad Koppie for the 7th District congressional seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, D-Chicago.

Koppie’s campaign did not immediately respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.

Ford said it would send a message if Illinois led the nation in voter participation.

“We then have a real fight for more federal dollars. Right now, Illinois is a donor state,” Ford said.

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