Brandon Nielsen is 18 and trying to decide what to do with his life. J.D. Kesler is 28 and in law school. Heath Henninger is a 31-year-old studying for a graduate degree in bio-engineering. Dan Clyne is 47 and raising children. Jeff Grathwohl is 52 and self-employed. Jean Bird is 66 and retired. Charles and Patricia Jeppson are in their early 70s and enjoying the golden years.

Election results  » State of Utah Elections Office (Lieutenant Governor's Office)  » Salt Lake County Clerk

So what was this disparate group of individuals all doing at Dilworth Elementary School on the east side of Salt Lake City Tuesday morning?

Voting.

The doors to polling station D-103 opened promptly at 7 a.m., and Brandon, J.D., Heath, Dan, Jeff, Jean, Charles and Patricia all came rolling in at a more reasonable hour, sometime shortly after 9 a.m.

I know. I was there, and I took the opportunity to separately ask each of them the same question: Why are you here?

Every decade had a different but similar answer. I thought they were all rather profound.

The responses by age bracket:

Under 20 — Brandon Nielsen: "I'm here pretty much just because it's the right thing to do. It's kind of one of those, well, if you don't use your voice, what's the point in having it?"

20s — J.D. Kesler: "I don't want to be one of those people who sits at home and complains and doesn't do anything. I've been involved with political campaigns in the past. I know how important it is to get voters out."

30s — Heath Henninger: "Well, at this point I'm trying to keep some sort of Democratic voice in the most conservative state in the union. I think it's important to try and drive down the apathy."