A glimpse of voting behaviors as the midterm election approaches. A new study e political factions and the likelihood they’ll support or engage in political violence. Revisiting our conversation about monarch butterflies and the effort to preserve their migration to the California coast.

Midterm voting behaviors

We have five days left to turn in our mail-in ballot or vote the old-fashioned way. Despite ballots being sent out a month in advance and offering conditional “same day” registration on Election Day, there is a wide range of factors why someone shows up to take part in the electoral process while others sit it out. Insight's first guest today argues the simplified explanation of “apathy” isn’t only inaccurate but ultimately harmful to voter engagement. Mindy Romero is a professor and director of the USC Center for Inclusive Democracy, a nonpartisan research center focused on elections, voting behaviors, and political participation. She also has a strong understanding of the barriers and factors that lead to a voter turnout that is far from reflective of California’s diversity with the goal of creating opportunities to close that historical gap so that elections are representative of all those impacted by policies.

Political violence study

As we head into a midterm election there is concern over the potential for political violence if election results are not accepted by Trump-endorsed politicians. In the aftermath of the attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the threat of political violence is more real. A recent survey conducted by UC Davis focuses on the identification of groups that may be at high risk for political violence, such as MAGA Republicans. Dr. Garen Wintemute, the emergency medicine physician and firearm violence researcher who conducted the survey, joined Insight to share these alarming findings and discussed potential solutions to prevent political violence.

Monarch butterfly migration

As the weather cools down and we break out those winter coats and hats, a beloved insect makes their return to the California coast. The famed monarch butterflies are making their epic migration from the Rockies to California gathering in impressive clusters along our coast. But in recent years scientists have seen sharp declines and slight increases in their populations leading scientists to question why their numbers are fluctuating. One of the keys to solving this riddle are “butterfly counters” which help provide a tally of butterflies fluttering along our coast. Earlier this year, CapRadio’s environment reporter Manola Secaira took a trip to the coast to better understand how both Monarchs and their dedicated counters descend upon Pacific Grove this time of year to measure the health of these incredible creatures.