Postal workers, union representatives and state officials expressed strong opposition to what the U.S. Postal Service says is a plan to modernize its Hampden distribution center.
At a public meeting Thursday, representatives from the Postal Service laid out the plan to move all mail processing to the Scarborough facility and downgrade the Hampden location to a local processing center.
That would mean that all Maine mail, even within Aroostook County, would be taken to Scarborough before being sent out.
Critics, including Maine American Postal Workers Union President Scott Adams, said that would further slow delivery.
"Network modernization. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? How is it modern when we've gone backwards?" he said.
Representatives for U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and U.S. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine criticized the change, saying it would not benefit Maine residents.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said the change could slow the delivery of absentee voting ballots, which must be received by the municipality before the polls close on election night.
Those concerns were echoed by others in the room, including Adams.
"And you're telling the general public that there is no change in time of delivery," he said. "There won't be a change in the time your carrier shows up to your house, but you're getting stuff that's five days old."
Some speakers raised concerns about older residents who get medications in the mail.
The proposed changes in Hampden are part of 10-year nationwide plan that the Postal Service says will expand services to the public and improve working conditions.
Written comments on the proposed plan can be submitted through March 15.
