Early voting ends today in the Blount County primary election. My ballot will be completely blank - no Democratic candidates filed to run for any office I can vote for.

It would be tempting to ask for a Republican ballot, but, a) I don't want to interfere with their primary, b) I don't want it on my record, and c) it's technically illegal.

That's right. See TCA 2-7-115 (B):

2-7-115. Residence requirements - Primary election voting requirements.

(a) A voter may vote only in the precinct where the voter resides and is registered, but if a registered voter has, at any time prior to voting, changed residence to another place inside the county, the voter must vote pursuant to the provisions of § 2-7-140. If a registered voter has, within ninety (90) days before a state primary or general election or federal primary or general election, changed residence to another place inside Tennessee but outside the county where the voter is registered, the voter may vote in the polling place where the voter is registered. If the voter has, within ninety (90) days before an election, changed name by marriage or otherwise, the voter may vote in the polling place where the voter is registered or is entitled to vote under § 2-7-140.

(b) A registered voter is entitled to vote in a primary election for offices for which the voter is qualified to vote at the polling place where the voter is registered if:

(1) The voter is a bona fide member of and affiliated with the political party in whose primary the voter seeks to vote; or

(2) At the time the voter seeks to vote, the voter declares allegiance to the political party in whose primary the voter seeks to vote and states that the voter intends to affiliate with that party.

Since a) I'm not a "bona fide" member of the Republican party (and state law is silent on what makes someone a "bona fide" member of any party), and b) I sure ain't going to "declare allegiance" or state any intent to affiliate with the party, technically I am not entitled to vote in their primary.

It occurs to me that if we're going to have state and locally run party primaries we should have party registration. This crossover stuff works both ways. Ask Rosalind Kurita.