The Smile: 9/1

Judge protects mail-in voting, Democrats move to block Lake Ontario renaming, and more!

September 01, 2026

Hi friend,

Happy Tuesday! A federal judge is keeping Donald Trump’s new mail-voting restrictions on hold, refusing the administration’s request to lift a temporary order blocking the U.S. Postal Service from imposing sweeping changes just two months before the midterms. Judge Indira Talwani emphasized that voters need “clear and settled” rules as Election Day approaches.

There’s even more encouraging news today: An appeals court threw out a right-wing effort to obtain Minnesota’s voter rolls, a federal judge rejected Marco Rubio’s policy targeting noncitizens for deportation based on protected speech, and House Democrats introduced legislation to block Trump’s attempted renaming of Lake Ontario.

Let’s dive into the good news! 💛

Today’s user-submitted photo comes from Tim S., who shared this adorable photo of his cats, Binx and Jack Benny! 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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