# presidential exploratory committees

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-exploratory-committees/157493>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 25, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-exploratory-committees/157493 "2003-02-25T21:50:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-exploratory-committees/157493/1 "2003-02-25T21:50:38Z")

</div>

So, what do presidential exploratory committees do? How many people are generally on one of these committees? This is assuming that actually do exist, and aren’t just a silly political catchphrase.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-exploratory-committees/157493/2 "2003-02-25T21:58:13Z")

</div>

My experience with politicians doesn’t extend to the Presidential level, but I have a pretty good guess that the “exploratory committee” is the candidate and a couple of close associates calling up major contributors and asking

a) I want to run and I wanted your input and by the way  
b) It costs a lot to get a campaign off the ground and how much would you like to contribute

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [February 25, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-exploratory-committees/157493/3 "2003-02-25T22:16:22Z")

</div>

From [Project Vote Smart Presidential Campaign Definitions](http://www.vote-smart.org/ce/p-2000/definitions.phtml?checking=)

> [@](#):
>
> Exploratory Committee:  
> A committee that is authorized by an individual in order to test a possible candidacy. The committee is not required to submit contribution reports to the FEC until a formal statement of candidacy is filed, at which time all prior contributions to the committee must be reported. The FEC does not require that Exploratory Committees file with them, though candidates may establish Exploratory Committees with the FEC if they so choose.

The [Libertarian party](http://www.cmlc.org/cmlc/fund11.htm) in 2000 put together a guide to the hurdles of mounting a presidential campaign and the role of the [Federal Election Commission](http://www.fec.gov).

Simply, it all has to do with tracking where the money comes from and where it goes.