Henry County Election Commission Removes Mayoral Candidate Over Residency Requirement

The Henry County Election Commission has removed Catherine Gore Herrera from the ballot for county mayor, finding she did not satisfy the residency requirement for candidates. Voters will choose among the remaining contenders in August.

Herrera launched her campaign in March under the slogan "Leadership that Listens." Part of her pitch to voters was that she was a longtime Henry County resident. Soon afterward, two county commissioners and a local minister formally challenged her eligibility, arguing she had not lived in the county for several years. State law requires candidates to have lived in the county for at least one year before filing to run.

The commission held a specially called meeting focused on where Herrera actually lives. On her sworn affidavit of residency, she described a Henry County address as her "permanent residence" "since 2020." She submitted copies of her driver's license, internet bills, and vehicle and boat registrations as support.

The address on those documents is a cabin on Kentucky Lake. WTVF found that the property has long been listed as a rental on Airbnb, and that on the site she describes herself as living in Nashville. Property records show she bought a house in Nashville in 2018, when she became a Metro Schools teacher. She worked as a special education teacher at JT Moore Middle School in Green Hills until 2024.

Herrera acknowledged at the meeting that her work took her away from Henry County. "I've always considered Henry County my home. Did I buy a home in Nashville so that I could work there during the weeks and during the school year? Absolutely," she told commissioners.

The Nashville house was not the central problem, however. Last November, Herrera bought a home in Rutherford County. Mortgage documents show she told lenders the Smyrna house would be her principal residence for at least the next year. "Yes, I do have two homes in middle Tennessee. I sure do," she told the commission, adding that she thought she had "done everything the right way" and never meant to misrepresent herself.

The commission also noted that Herrera registered to vote in Davidson County in 2022 and kept voting in Nashville through 2024. She did not move her voter registration to Henry County until this March, when she decided to run.

Herrera described the challenge as a "personal attack" driven by politics. "It is unfortunate that I have to stand up here and defend my, my dignity, my honor, my integrity," she said. She maintained that she spends substantial time in Henry County, volunteering and visiting family and her longtime partner. The commission was not persuaded and removed her name from the ballot.

Two candidates remain in the race for county mayor: Jonathan Lodge and David Webb. The election will be held in August.