5-Year Estimates. Politics Until the 1990s, Barnstable County was a stronghold of the Republican Party. It has since come to favor the Democratic Party, supporting Democratic candidates in all presidential elections since 1992. |} Government Barnstable County is one of the last functioning counties in Massachusetts. County government consists of a legislative branch (Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates) and an executive branch (Barnstable County Commissioners). Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates The Assembly of Delegates is the legislative branch of Barnstable County. There are 15 towns located within Barnstable County, with each town represented on the Assembly. In 1989, by an Act of the Massachusetts General Court and confirmed by a majority of Barnstable County voters, the Barnstable County Home Rule Charter went into effect and the first session of the Assembly of Delegates convened. All legislative powers of the County are vested in the Assembly, which acts by ordinance and also adopts resolutions. The Assembly of Delegates consists of 15 delegates, one representing each of the towns located in Barnstable County. A delegate's vote is weighted based on the population of his or her town. The town of Barnstable, for example, has the largest share of the vote, at 20.92%, and Truro has the smallest, at 0.93%. Barnstable County Commissioners There are three Barnstable County Commissioners who together act as the Executive Branch of county government. Each commissioner is elected at large and serves a four-year staggered term. Duties of the commissioners include direction of county agencies, preparation of budgets for submission to the Assembly, care of county property and finances, proposing ordinances to the Assembly, and appointment of the County Administrator. Ronald Bergstrom (D-Chatham), Chair Term: 2019–2023 Sheila Lyons (D-Wellfleet), Vice-Chair Term: 2021–2025 Mark Forest (D-Yarmouth), Commissioner Term: 2021–2025 Cape Cod Commission The planning agency of Barnstable County is the Cape Cod Commission. Communities Cities and towns have been legally incorporated as such under the laws of the State of Massachusetts. They include the entire territory of the state. A city may continue to name itself a town even though legally a city. Villages are subordinate to cities or towns. In addition to and not necessarily based on these legal municipalities are the arbitrary divisions of the United States Census Bureau. Villages are census divisions which may be used as special purpose municipalities or may have a greater sense of civic identity than their constituent town(s), but are not