RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Election Day has arrived and millions of Americans are heading to the polls, marking a pivotal moment in the nation's democratic process. For many, today is not just another election—it's their first time casting a vote, an opportunity to exercise their fundamental right as American citizens. 8News spoke with multiple first-time voters about what pushed them to the polls and how they feel exercising their right for the first time. "Having conversations with other young women around me and feeling similar feelings of fear and anxiety toward this upcoming election, I knew it was really important for us to make our voices heard," said Emily Herrera, a first-time voter in Richmond. This election has drawn significant early voting numbers, with more than 80 million ballots cast nationwide—2.3 million of those in Virginia alone, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. As polling places remain open until 7 p.m. tonight, the numbers are expected to rise even further. For many voters, this election carries the weight of personal stakes and a desire to shape the future. "Regardless of if you are and if you do decide to, just go with your gut feeling. You know what's right for your country. Just go for it," said Adarion Hayes, another first-time voter. "It's 50/50, it's going to go one way or another, so just do whatever you can." Though many expressed a mixture of anxiety and hope about the outcome, there was a common theme of empowerment. First-time voters, in particular, seem determined to play an active role in deciding the nation's future. "I feel like, if you're not out voting, then it's like, once the election results come in, you have no say so you can't even have the right to be mad," said Justin Thompson, another first-time voter. "Go vote!" Election officials remind all voters that as long as they are in line by 7 p.m. when polls close, they will still be allowed to cast their ballot, regardless of the wait time.