Much like love, wooing voters sometimes requires dabbling in the art of seduction.

That’s how MPP hopeful Andrew Echevarria sees it. The Ontario Libertarian Party candidate for Trinity-Spadina is using Tinder to connect with young people in the downtown riding, hoping to score votes the same way others score dates.

“I catch their eye,” said Echevarria, who joined the online dating app recently. “Tinder is a great moment to catch someone when they’re just hanging out.”

Toronto Tinder users may recognize the dark-haired, well-suited Echevarria as they swipe left and right through the app’s GPS-enabled library of potential romances. He set his search limit to the scope of the riding and has already been inundated with love connections.

However, he keeps his intentions up front.

“Tired of dating the same old politicians who lie just to get your ballot? Hook up with Liberty!” he teases, listing his age as 24. Those interested can “swipe right to debate or learn more.”

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About 50 people — 60 per cent men, 40 per cent women, Echevarria guesses — have swiped right.

While it might sound like a gimmick, the neuroscience grad from the University of Toronto said he genuinely believes Tinder is an effective way of enticing students and young professionals who are unfamiliar with libertarian politics, which he says are defined by “the protection of individual rights and freedoms.”

“The smallest minority in the world is the individual,” said Echevarria, quoting novelist and philosopher Ayn Rand. He said he supports small businesses, advocates for market competition and says affordable post-secondary education is a top priority.

“A lot of people are very libertarian; they just haven’t heard the term,” he suggested.

Joining Tinder was also part necessity. Downloading the app was an affordable way for the fringe candidate to stand out against incumbent New Democrat Rosario Marchese, Liberal candidate Han Dong, Roberta Scott for the Progressive Conservatives and Green candidate Tim Grant.

“It’s because we’re a small party and we have three elections going on here,” Echevarria said. “I needed to do something to get my name out there.”

Less than 24 hours into his online dating foray, Echevarria found that most young people have simple questions about election logistics.

“The most common is ‘How do I vote?’ People don’t know where to vote. That’s my biggest concern,” he said.

Tapping into Internet matchmaking for political gain might seem odd, but it isn’t unheard of. In Amsterdam, two politicians recently created profiles on gay dating app Grindr to target LGBT voters in a March municipal election.

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Connecting with voters is a top priority, Echevarria insisted, but he’s also had a number of romantic proposals. Some have offered to meet up for coffee or a beer, while others are more PG-13.

“Some have said if you send me a dirty picture I’ll vote for you. That sort of thing I just try to play off,” he said.

“One guy asked me, ‘Do you want to wrestle?’ I said I’m a bit busy wrestling the Liberals and Conservatives right now.”