AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine residents are sounding the alarm about a basic government service that’s supposed to be boring, reliable, and invisible: the mail. Instead, across parts of the state, Mainers report long gaps in delivery that are blowing up household budgets, delaying prescriptions, and leaving people guessing when, if ever, the next truck shows.
And now the question many are asking is unavoidable: If the U.S. Postal Service can’t consistently handle everyday operations, how can it be trusted with one of the most important functions in a democracy, voting?
“One day of mail in four weeks”
In South Portland’s Knightville neighborhood, residents told WMTW their mail has been “sporadic at best,” with one man saying Monday was the only day he had mail in four weeks and another warning that missed deliveries could mean late notices and doubled-up bills.
The complaints didn’t stay local for long. After WMTW aired its first report, the station said it received additional emails and phone calls from other communities experiencing similar problems.
Central Maine has reported the same: an Augusta-area story described Mainers going days and weeks without delivery, including prescriptions, paychecks, and bills, again tied to staffing shortages.
And in rural Maine, Spectrum News reported that Rep. Katrina Smith (R) said she heard from hundreds of constituents struggling to get their mail, with residents describing disruptions that affect medications and basic bill payments.
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