Davidson County property assessor faces challenger in March 5 primary. Here's what to know

Nashville residents will soon choose who appraises their property.

The office for Davidson County assessor of property will be on ballots on the county’s March 5 primary election. Two candidates are vying for the seat: incumbent Vivian Wilhoite, who was first elected in 2016, and challenger Tomesia Day, a former eight-year employee in the office.

Wilhoite and Day are both Democrats, and there are no Republicans running for the office. The winner of the primary is expected to take the seat but may face independent challengers in the countywide general election in August.

The Assessor of Property office is responsible for appraising the value of nearly every parcel in Davidson County, which is used to determine how properties are taxed. Here’s what you need to know about the two candidates.

Tomesia Day

• Age: 44

• Education: bachelor’s in business administration from Tennessee State University; Master of Business Administration from University of Phoenix

Tomesia Day, 44, graduated from McGavock High School and earned her bachelor’s in business administration from Tennessee State University. After graduation, she worked a variety of government jobs, including in administrative roles at the Metro Nashville Police Department, the Tennessee Education Lottery and Tennessee Department of Human Services, while trying to determine how she “could be of the best use to Nashville and Davidson County.”

She then started working at the Davidson County Assessor of Property office in January 2013. She worked her way up to section leader of the personalty division. Day stressed that she is not seeking to use the office as a “springboard” to another position.

“My mission is to provide fair and equitable assessments while demonstrating professionalism, integrity, and transparency to the citizens of Nashville and Davidson County,” Day said.

She later earned her MBA from the University of Phoenix and received her Tennessee Master Assessor Certification, the state’s highest distinction for property assessors.

Day resigned in October 2020, which she said she did because she was “unsettled” with how leadership in the office handled complaints that were brought to their attention. She said that ensuring the office’s complaints and suggestions are considered is one of her top priorities for the office.

“My end goal would be to have a fresh approach to how the culture is in that particular office,” she said.

She also hopes to see the office become more diverse to better reflect the community that it serves.

The election for property assessor is not typically a high-profile race, but Day said the position is particularly important because the assessments not only impact landowners and homeowners but all residents through tax generation.

Because of that, she said transparency will be her core value in the office.

“It's imperative to promote competence and build trust in our government offices in our processes,” Day said.

Vivian Wilhoite

• Age: 60

• Education: bachelor’s in business administration from Tennessee State University

Vivian Wilhoite won the election for the assessor of property in 2016, upsetting incumbent George Rooker Jr. She was reelected after running unopposed in the 2020 Democratic primary and general election.

Wilhoite is a familiar face to many Nashvillians who witnessed her recent unsuccessful bid for Nashville mayor. She also represented District 29 on the Metro Nashville Council from 2003 to 2011 and lost previous runs for an at-large council seat and juvenile court clerk.

Prior to her time as Davidson County’s assessor of property, Wilhoite worked for three decades at the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, now called the Tennessee Public Utility Commission, including as an assessor of public property.

Wilhoite prides herself on the office’s outreach to the community, and she said during a February interview that since she took over, the office has held 250 outreach presentations with residents. She also enjoys talking with people about taxes and appraisals and said she takes every opportunity she can to educate people about the process.

“It's a moment that I don't take lightly,” she said.

When she took over the office, Wilhoite said she ramped up recruiting efforts because she inherited what she called an aging office.

She said she often takes time to help those who may be eligible for property tax exemptions — such as religious groups and some nonprofits — learn about those opportunities through “exemption workshops.”

“It's more than just identifying, classifying, assessing, evaluating property,” Wilhoite said. “We also want to empower people with information that can help them be able to, as the mayor said, stay in Nashville.”

Evan Mealins is the justice reporter for The Tennessean. Contact him at emealins@gannett.com or follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @EvanMealins.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Dem property assessor faces challenger in March 5 primary