The Town of Winterport, Maine in Waldo County, is a local political subdivision of the State of Maine. The Territory that now comprises Winterport was a part of the Town of Frankfort. In 1860 the State of Maine passed AN ACT "to incorporate the Town of Winterport." The qualified voters of Winterport by referendum in 1962 established the Town Meeting Selectmen Manager form of government. The State has given local home rule powers to the Voters of Winterport who may enact laws regarding matters not otherwise regulated by the State or denied to the Town by the State.

On November 2, 2004 the voters of the Town of Winterport adopted a new Charter for the Town of Winterport. The voters claimed for Winterport all possible powers of self-government. See Winterport Charter & Report that describes the voters’ powers to initiate citizen actions including recall of all elected officials. The Voters of Winterport in secret ballot elections elect a Town Council comprised of five Councilors, three members of a Board of Assessors, and four Directors from Winterport who sit on the Board of Directors of the Hampden, Newburg and Winterport Maine School Administrative District # 22.

The Town Meeting elects a seven member Budget Committee whose recommendations must appear with every article considered on every Town Meeting Warrant. The Town Meeting governs the affairs of the Town of Winterport except for Schools that are governed by the Hampden, Newburg and Winterport Maine School Administrative District # 22, the Cemeteries District that is governed by the Board of Trustees of the Cemeteries District, the Water Supply District that is governed by the Water District Board of Trustees of the Winterport Water District, and the Sewer System District that is governed by the Board of Trustees of the Winterport Sewer District. The Town Council governs and controls the Orders, Warrants and Authorizations of Town Meeting including all appropriations.

The Town Council appoints the trustees of the Cemeteries, Water and Sewer Districts. The Town Council appoints the seven members of the Planning Board that reviews and recommends changes in subdivisions, land development regulations and zoning. The Town Council, also, appoints the members of standing committees who advise the Town Council including the Conservation Committee, the Recreation Committee and the Economic Develop Committee (Tax Increment Financing Review Committee). The Town Council directs and controls the Town Manager who administers and supervises all other officers and employees of the Town of Winterport. Several of the Municipal Officials supervised by the Town Manager are appointed by the Town Council. Those Municipal Officials are Fire Warden, Emergency Management Coordinator, Tax Collector, Treasurer, Town Clerk, Health Officer, Road Commissioner, Plumbing Inspector, General Assistance Administrator, Register of Voters, Animal Control Officer and election officers.

The Town Manager appoints and supervises the Fire Chief, Road Maintenance Supervisor, Recreation Coordinator, Transfer Station Supervisor and all other employees such as the School Crossing Guard, and paid Fire Fighters. The Town Manager is responsible for completing the tasks established by the Town Meeting and the Town Council. He is responsible for achieving the tasks provided for in the Town Budget. He recruits and hires all employees. He prepares bids for all objects over $5000 for approval of the Town Council and controls all expenditures less than $5,000 for a single item, or objective.