Originally Posted by trafik2

The Federal Election Commission has strict regulations as to what can be done with unused campaign donations.

According to the Federal Election Commission, there is a law called the Presidential Election Campaign Fund Act. That law takes $3 from every willing income tax filer and puts it in a big fund. Candidates who meet minimum requirements, then receive matching funds.

The FEC stipulates that any candidate is allowed to retain his or her money for a future election once they decide to call it quits in any given election.

FEC stipulates that a presidential candidate can donate his money to a non-profit organization of his choosing so long as it has 501 (c) tax status. That includes special interest groups. That candidate may donate to organizations ranging from the National Rifle Association to MoveOn.org.

The FEC also states a presidential candidate can donate his funds to another campaign committee. So if you donated to an underdog candidate or pay federal income tax, there is a pretty healthy chance that you have bankrolled one of the top tier candidates, again whether you support that candidate or not.