Somebody please tell me I wasn't the only one listening during yesterday's drive time who heard Ann Lloyd (WUOT-FM, "All Things Considered" Local Host) tell listeners that "Independent voters are not allowed in the state primary" and they won't be able to vote until the general election.

The story was about the record early voter turnout and included a soundbite from Greg McKay. All well and good until right at the end when she began to explain to potential Tuesday voters what (up to now) I always thought was a pretty simple process-- show up at the polls, declare which party primary you want to participate in, then vote.

It was right after this that the comment was made about independent voters. The intent, I'm sure, was to say-- "If you are supporting a third party candidate or someone running as an independent, you won't find their name on the primary ballots, but they will be there in the general elections."

However, what was said didn't match the intent. Lloyd specifically said "independent voters" weren't allowed in the primaries when she should have said "independent candidates." Thus, furthering the myth that Tennesseans have to belong to a party to vote.