Out Dutch Politicians Campaign on Grindr

Two politicians from Amsterdam have created profiles on the popular gay hook up mobile app Grindr, in hopes of earning extra votes from gay men for their liberal party just before elections later this month, Reuters reports.

"We are very fond of new technology and new media," Jan-Bert Vroege, an openly gay candidate for the D66 party, told Reuters on Wednesday. "We are also into making Amsterdam a lively gay destination - and using Grindr we can get that message to all the gay people of Amsterdam."

According to Reuters, Vroege's Grindr profile asks: "Have I got a date with you on March 19?" He says he is 37 years old, 5' 12," 168 pounds and has a partner.

The politician says he is only chatting with users who frequent the app to look for a date or a quickie, and nothing more.

The newspaper notes that the D66 party is a progressive opposition party in Amsterdam, which was an early supporter of liberal social issues, including same-sex marriage, euthanasia and drug tolerance.

Pieter Rietman, another D66 candidate who is openly bisexual, also created a profile on Grindr. He told the NL Times that the app has been useful in recruiting LGBT people to D66 events.

"Next Sunday evening, the D66 is having a meeting about being LGBT in Amsterdam West," Rietman said. "Via Grindr, we've already invited dozens of people. We also use the somewhat more conventional communication methods, of course."

Vroege told Reuters that he's been on Gridnr for two days and that "in the first night I got 35 connections," adding that users "thought this was a great way to bring attention to the elections and D66."

The politicians set up their profiles ahead of municipal elections, which will be held on March 19, Gay Star News reports.