PARIS, Tenn. (WTVF) — Voters in Henry County will go to the polls in August to pick the next county mayor.
So we don't know yet who will be the next mayor.
But we do know who it will not be.
Catherine Herrera was running for the job. And one of the reasons she said folks in Henry County should vote for her was that she is a longtime resident.
The only problem? She isn't.
A specially called meeting of the Henry County Election Commission was all about Catherine Gore Herrera, and specifically, where she lives.
In March, Herrera launched a campaign to be the next Henry County mayor, promising voters - "Leadership that Listens."
But not long after, two Henry County Commissioners and a local minister all officially challenged whether she met all of the qualifications to run.
They argued that Herrera had not been a resident of Henry County for several years and state law says candidates must live in the county at least a year before they file the paperwork to run.
Herrera conceded that her work took her away from Henry County but on her sworn affidavit of residency, she insisted it had been her "permanent residence" "since 2020" and she gave the election commission copies of her driver's license, internet service bills and vehicle and boat registrations as proof.
But the address on those documents is a cabin on Kentucky Lake that we found has long been listed as a rental on AirBnb and on the site she describes herself as living in Nashville.
In fact, property records show she bought a house in Nashville in 2018 when she became a teacher for Metro Schools and she worked at JT Moore Middle School in Green Hills as a special ed teacher until 2024.
Herrera told the Election Commission during last week's meeting, "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."
But it turns out that home in Nashville wasn't the real problem here.
Rather it was the house she bought in Rutherford County just last November and the mortgage documents that show Herrera promised lenders the home in Smyrna would be her principal residence for at least the next year.
"So I thought I had done everything the right way. It was never an intent to lie about anything or misrepresent myself. Yes, I do have two homes in middle Tennessee. I sure do," Herrera explained to the commission.
Herrera blamed the "personal attack" on politics.
"I do think it is unfortunate that, I know we're in politics and politics can be dirty and I get that, but it is unfortunate that I have to stand up here and defend my, my dignity, my honor, my integrity," she said.
She insisted she spends considerable time in Henry County, volunteering and visiting family and her longtime partner.
But that wasn't enough to convince the election commission to keep her name on the ballot.
The election commission also pointed out that Herrera registered to vote in Davidson County in 2022 and continued to vote in Nashville through 2024 and she did not switch her voter registration to Henry County until this past March when she decided to run for office.
There are now two candidates left for county mayor - Jonathan Lodge and David Webb. The election is in August.
