What Happens to Your Campaign Contributions When a Presidential Candidate Drops Out?
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee formally abandoned the presidential race on Wednesday just days after John Hickenlooper also announced his withdrawal (and announced his proposal to the Senate). As of June, both former candidates have raised an estimated $ 8.5 million in campaign donations from individual donors and the PKK.
Ahead of the third round of the September Houston debate, we are likely to see at least a few other candidates drop out as well, amounting to millions in campaign donations. But what exactly happens to your campaign contributions when a presidential candidate drops out of the race? Can they use your funds on unusual travel or private jets? According to the rules established by the Federal Election Commission , any surplus funds for the election campaign are not allowed for personal use, but it is quite possible, but the world of campaign finance unnecessarily complicated.
Surplus funds can be used to cover costs or spent on other candidates.
Let’s say you donated $ 25 to a candidate. If the campaign has outstanding debts or expenses, a portion of your donation can be used to pay off those. This could mean paying salaries to campaign staff or even moving costs.
If you support a campaign that hasn’t accumulated any debt, it’s likely that some of your $ 25 could be used for that candidate’s future campaigns – Hickenlooper is no doubt likely to allocate any extra funds to his Senate campaign.
Then there is the gray area: candidates also have the option to use your donation to purchase “gifts” if they are not passed on to the candidate’s family; However, what constitutes a “gift” seems to be pretty unlimited.
For less likely alternatives, a candidate could spend your $ 25 on a political action committee he supports, or just another candidate in the race (though he would probably prefer to keep them). Your contribution can also be donated to charities of your candidate’s choice.
In the end, the FEC rules are vague and applicants adhere to them as they see fit. All of this brings us to a big, egregious question – how can you be sure that your donation has been used appropriately?
How to make sure your donations are spent wisely (sort of)
While you can never be 100% sure how your personal donation is spent, you can research campaign spending throughout the campaign and beyond. “After the end of the campaign, the candidate committee must continue to submit reports to the FEC until the committee is liquidated,” an FEC spokesman said by e-mail. “This way, you can track how campaigns are spending the remaining funds they hold.”
To view these reports, visit the FEC database , perform a search on the name of a candidate’s campaign, which usually consists of his name, followed by “For America” or “2020”, and scroll down to find their costs. find the Inslee campaign, search for ” Inslee for America “. To find the Hickenlooper campaign, search for ” Hickenlooper 2020 “. You can also find the campaign of any former presidential candidate in any other election.
These documents have limitations. First, they are usually updated quarterly; if you’ve made a donation to Inslee or Hickenlooper, you won’t know how they spend their extra funds until September. In addition, you will have to dig a lot into candidates’ expenses, and even then, you will not be able to fully interpret a simple position.
However, none of this should deter you from donating to your chosen candidate. In fact, it should stimulate voting for the candidate who is pushing campaign finance reform so that your future contributions are spent wisely.