‘My hope has come back’: Nevada college students feel inspired by Kamala Harris

Democrats are attempting to leverage the power of young voters by encouraging them to talk to peers about the importance of voting and highlighting what’s at stake.

Dozens of UNLV students attended an event Tuesday, where Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) spoke about what’s at stake this election and how crucial it is for them to participate, be civically engaged, and talk to others about voting for Democrats. 

The event, hosted by Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, comes as part of a push to reach young voters in Nevada and across the country — voters just like Milla Santos. 

Santos, an 18-year-old UNLV freshman who was  in middle school during former President Donald Trump’s first term, said she feels a greater sense of responsibility this election since it will be her first time voting. 

“Initially I was scared to vote, and I felt probably what other Americans felt with the tumultuousness of the current election and what it looked like before Kamala stepped in. But with all of Kamala’s movement to mobilize young voters, I’m very excited that this is going to be my first election to vote,” Santos said, adding that higher education affordability and labor union protections are important to her. 

“There’s only so much you can do as a 14 year-old … Now that I’m a voter, I feel like it’s my solemn duty to not only participate civically, but also to make sure that other people participate,” she continued. “I think that another Trump term would be very scary, especially with the plans of Project 2025. I think that this election is going to set a precedent for the future, so I don’t want another Trump term.” 

Eighteen to 24 year-olds made up 22% of voters in Nevada in 2022, the Democratic Party is looking to keep up the momentum among that age group to elect the Harris-Walz ticket in November. 

In his speech, Horsford touched on the differences between Harris and Trump, especially when it comes to reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ rights, the economy, and taxes.

“There’s so much that is on the line between two very competing visions for America,” Horsford said. “I’m speaking to the choir in here, because you all are engaged, but it’s your peers, it’s your classmates, it’s the people who aren’t as connected, don’t care about the next election, or think that it doesn’t matter to them, and we’ve got to remind them that it does.”

According to the Nevada Harris-Walz campaign, since July, nearly 1,200 “young voters” — those between ages 18 and 35 — have joined as volunteers and have completed more than 2,000 volunteer shifts, including door-knocking and phone-banking.

For first-time voter and UNLV junior, Cesar Alcala, participating in democracy — and encouraging others to vote — is vital for him and the future of the country, he said. Alcala said Venezuela’s political crisis has shown him the importance of upholding people’s choice in elections. 

“I’m not Venezuelan, but looking at the Venezuelan election, it brought tears to my eyes, because those poor people, they voted and their votes were ignored,” Alcala said. “And Maduro, who just took away their voices, that’s not right. As a democracy, we should have people use their voices and let them decide the winners of the election.”

Alcala admits that he had lost hope that the Democratic party had any chance to win before President Joe Biden decided to step aside, but now he is inspired and excited by Harris’ candidacy. 

“I was so scared that Trump could win, Republicans would win, and my rights would be taken away as a gay Latino. But ever since Harris and Walz came into the picture — oh my gosh, my hope has come back,” he said. “I’m extremely happy. I do feel like in the future, I could marry the man that I love, and have a family of my own. That faith in my future has been restored, and I’m so grateful for that.”