Photo courtesy of Karolina Rivas
Bernie Sanders speaks to a crowd at a rally on Thursday, Oct. 25. The rally encouraged people to vote to participate in the political process.

In the midst of early voting, NV Dems hosted a rally at the University of Nevada, Reno, with several well-known politicians.

The rally on Thursday, Oct. 25, featured Senator Bernie Sanders, Democratic Nevada Senator candidate Jacky Rosen and State Assembly candidate Sarah Peters, among others.

The rally kicked off around 11:00 a.m. on the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center Lawn. The primary message of the rally was the importance of voting and being involved in the political process.

Sanders emphasized the need to vote in order to improve environmental issues.

“Climate change has got to be combatted and we must move to a world of energy efficiency and sustainable energy,” said Sanders. “But all of that does not mean anything unless you get involved in the political process.”

Rosen also emphasized the need for students to vote, due to issues such as education cost and immigration.

“We’re facing so many important fights right now,” Rosen said. “There’s so much on the line and there’s so many important reasons for us to vote in this election. We’re voting to protect our dreamers and to keep our families together. We’re standing on this college campus and we’re working to make college more affordable. We need common sense gun safety laws.

Sanders also addressed the political candidate advertisements being streamed both on television and on internet streaming services such as Youtube, calling them “dirty” and “ugly”.

“Right now as we speak they are flooding airwaves in Nevada and all over this country with dirty, ugly 30-second ads because they want the U.S. government  to protect their interests and not the needs of working families,” Sanders said.

Sanders communicated his opposition to the current administration and specifically President Trump.

“I disagree with Trump on almost every issue,” Sanders said. “Our job is to bring people together to create a government that works for all of us. Health care is a human right. Education is a human right. Drinking clean water and breathing clean air is a human right.”

Rosen told the crowd she is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate due to the government system failing many families. She shared her opposition to the fact that many families have to make sacrifices in order to live a “normal” life.

“Not one family in this country should have to choose between paying their rent and taking their child to the doctor,” Rosen said.

The rally left students feeling inspired to take part in the political processes.

“I felt inspired,” said Harmon. “I had a good time and the speeches were really great and I think it’s great that all these speakers from our districts came.”

The speeches were effective in their mission to convince people to vote, according to Harmon. At the conclusion of the event, Sanders encouraged everyone to walk to the second floor of the Joe Crowley Student Union to participate in early voting. The Fish Bowl on the second floor has polls for students, faculty and staff to cast their votes.

“If I hadn’t already voted [yesterday], I would have ran over there,” Harmon said.

Sanders is a U.S. Senator for the state of Vermont and has served since 2007. He ran for the U.S. presidency in 2016 but lost to Hillary Clinton in the primaries for the Democratic candidacy. For more information on NV Dems, go to nvdems.com.