The Smile: 10/12

Judge protects voters, environmentalists sue Trump, and more!

October 12, 2026

Hi friend,

Happy Monday! A federal judge has blocked the Justice Department from using a flawed national citizenship database to remove eligible American voters from the rolls. The ruling follows a lawsuit brought by Common Cause and four U.S. citizens whose voter registrations were canceled, with the court finding that the federal policy unlawfully interfered with state election administration and risked disenfranchising more voters.

There's even more good news today: Environmental groups are suing over federal restrictions on solar funding for farmers and rural businesses, Texas landowners are challenging border wall construction on their properties, and the Haida Nation is building artificial dens for bears after logging destroyed their natural homes.

Let’s dive into the good news! 💛

Today’s user-submitted photo comes from Virginia M., who shared this cute photo of her dog, Spirit! If you want the chance to have your photo featured, reply to this email 😄

Thank you for reading, and we hope these articles shine a light on your day.

In solidarity,

Emily from The Smile

P.S. Know someone who could use a dose of good news? Forward this email and encourage them to subscribe to The Smile. Let’s spread the positivity together. 🌟

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