Conjecture on social media about why a post office in Springfield was closed during the afternoon of Aug. 17 included speculation as to whether it had something to do with the president's alleged affront on the United States Postal Service. Upon an inquiry with USPS as to why the post office on Wabash Avenue in Springfield was closed for a time, a spokesperson said there had been an "internal issue" between the hours of noon and 2 p.m. Meanwhile, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined other states in a federal lawsuit on Aug. 18, arguing reductions in USPS operations in recent weeks are illegal. The postal service released a statement the same day saying that practices such as removing mail collection boxes would be halted until after the election. Applications for vote-by-mail have gone out to registered voters in Sangamon County per a new state law meant to ensure safe and accessible voting. In July, USPS told the Illinois State Board of Elections that it might not be able to handle the amount of in mail-in ballots.