3001 EXPLORATORY COMMITTEES

3001.1 Any individual, or group of individuals, who organizes for the purpose of exploring the feasibility of a person's candidacy for an elective office in the District of Columbia, shall form an exploratory committee.

3001.2 An exploratory committee shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) Draft Committees; and

(b) "Testing the Waters" Committees.

3001.3 Each exploratory committee shall include the name of the potential candidate in the name of the committee.

3001.4 Exploratory committee activity to determine whether an individual should become a candidate may include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) Polling;

(b) Travel;

(c) Telephone calls;

(d) Media expenses;

(e) Office space; and

(f) Administrative costs.

3001.5 Each exploratory committee shall be required to file an informational report, in accordance with §3008.

3001.6 Informational reports shall be filed in accordance with §3017, except that an informational report shall be filed on the following dates:

(a) January 31st and July 31st; and

(b) On the last day of each month within the 12 month period of an election for the office which is under consideration by the exploratory committee.

3001.7 Contributions in support of an exploratory committee shall be received or made in accordance with §3011, except that individual and aggregate contributions shall be limited for the following exploratory committees:

(a) Mayoral - $2,000 individual and $200,000 aggregate;

(b) Chairman of the Council - $1,500 individual and $150,000 aggregate;

(c) At-large member of the Council - $1,000 individual and $100,000 aggregate;

(d) Ward Councilmember or President of the Board of Education - $500 individual and $50,000 aggregate; and

(e) Member of the Board of Education $200 individual and $20,000 aggregate.

3001.8 The life of an exploratory committee for any office shall not exceed 18 months.

3001.9 When an exploratory committee reaches 18 months, one of the following acts shall occur:

1. (a) The exploratory committee terminates; or
2. (b) The named individual of the exploratory committee becomes a candidate.3001.10 When the named individual of an exploratory committee becomes a candidate, the individual must perform the following:- (a) File a declaration of candidacy, pursuant to §3002;
3. (b) Form a principal campaign committee, pursuant to §3005; and
4. (c) Apply all contributions received during the life of the exploratory committee to the campaign contribution limitations for the specific candidate, pursuant to §3011.3001.11 Any remaining funds of an exploratory committee shall be transferred only to the following:- (a) An established principal campaign or political committee; or
5. (b) A charitable, scientific, literary, or educational organization, or organizations, which meet the requirements of tax laws of the District of Columbia.3001.12 All contributions and fund balances of any exploratory committee shall not be deemed the personal funds of any individual, including the named individual of the exploratory committee.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 45 D.C. Reg. 3161, 3164 (May 22, 1998) as further amended by 53 D.C. Reg. 3222 (April 21, 2006); and as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 55 D.C. Reg. 8797 (August 15, 2008).