NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – It is one month away from the Commonwealth’s presidential primaries.

On Tuesday, March 5, voters will head to the booths to vote in either the Democratic or Republican presidential primary on Super Tuesday.

Professor Jesse Richman, Ph.D. from Old Dominion University joined host Sarah Goode at the Digital Desk for a livestream about the upcoming primaries. Richman is an associate professor of political science and geography. Watch the Digital Desk conversation in the video player on this page.

“This is a really unusual situation,” Richman said about the upcoming presidential election.

Why?

It has been since 1892 when the United States saw someone that had been president be defeated and then decide to run again, Richman said. Then, it was Democratic President Grover Cleveland defeating the incumbent Republican President Benjamin Harrison.

Former President Donald Trump and President Biden have been effective in their parties, said Richman, with Biden winning the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary election and Trump winning majorities in the two Republican primaries so far.

“There’s an increasingly narrow path for anybody for anybody in either of those primaries who wants to try to defeat those candidates,” Richman said. “That is unusual. Normally, what we would see is on one side a very competitive primary, at least, sometimes both sides.”

While a mix of Republican candidates will appear on the ballot in Virginia, many have since suspended their campaigns.

Richman said there is still competition, and we will see if there are any surprises moving forward, before we get to the Virginia presidential primaries.

“Nikki Haley is competing next in South Carolina,” Richman said. “It’s her home state. She knows the state very well. She is performing considerably better there in the state polls, not by much. She’s performing quite a bit better than she is nationally.”

Richman said a pretty good night for Haley at the primary could still mean Trump, quite handily, could beat her.

While Virginia has open primaries, voters have to choose which primary they will vote in. You cannot vote in both primaries. Take a look at the ballots here.

Richman said voters usually do not jump ship to the other party, but it can happen. The Virginia primaries can allow independent voters to support different candidates, as recently seen in New Hampshire.

While the race might not seem as competitive. Richman encourages people to vote.

“It’s an important exercise in civic participation,” Richman said. “This is an opportunity to shape who the choices are.”

If there is another general election of President Biden versus former President Trump, will voters be engaged and excited?

Richman said it’s complicated. But he highlighted what the primaries are for.

According to polls, some do not want a Trump and Biden rematch.

“If you don’t want a Trump and Biden rematch, this is your chance to avoid it,” Richman said. “As voters, on Super Tuesday, this is a crucial decision point.”

Similarly, if you want the candidates to be Trump and Biden, and you want the matchup, Richman said you know how to vote in the primaries.

In terms of possible independent candidates, Richman said we cannot rule out possible third-party candidates in the race up to the general election.

“That could add some interesting strategic challenges to the campaigns,” Richman said.

There could be potential for a third-party candidate to do surprisingly well.

Watch the full conversation to find out more about the upcoming presidential primary elections. Richman offers more expertise on a variety of topics including, debates, polling and campaign fundraising.

Voting information

Early voting is already taking place at your local registrar’s office. Click here to find out where to vote. The last day to vote early is Saturday, March 2.

Feb. 12 is the deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration. Voters can register after this date through Election Day, and vote using a provisional ballot.

Click here to visit the Virginia Department of Elections to find out more about upcoming election dates and information.