Chatham County commissioners back amendment to say corporations are not persons

The Chatham County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 3 adopted a resolution opposing the Supreme Court’s interpretation in Citizens United and urging Congress to consider a constitutional amendment that would state corporations are not natural persons and that “money is not speech.”

Chair read the draft resolution into the record and introduced Commissioner Robertson as the member who brought the item forward. Commissioner Robertson said the resolution was "beautifully written" and urged the county to join other communities in supporting the Move to Amend effort. Commissioner Delaney questioned whether taking a position on a federal constitutional interpretation was consistent with the board’s historical practice and asked for legal input before routinely adopting statements about federal law. Delaney later recorded a vote of "no." The motion carried after a voice vote.

The resolution cites Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) and states that the board supports proposed language declaring that corporations are not persons and that money can be regulated in the electoral process. The board directed staff to forward the adopted resolution to the county’s congressional delegation. The action was procedural and symbolic — it does not change local law but signals the board’s support for a federal amendment and the national Move to Amend movement.

The board did not record a full roll‑call tally in the public transcript beyond a recorded dissent; the chair announced the motion carried following the voice vote. The next procedural step noted by staff was forwarding the resolution to Chatham County’s representatives in Congress.