Tinder launches Every Single Vote Counts campaign to empower first-time voters in India

Swipe right for democracy! Tinder partners with Yuvaa and Mark Your Presence to empower first-time voters in India with their 'Every Single Vote Counts' campaign.

Tinder teams up with Yuvaa and Mark Your Presence to inspire first-time voters among young daters. (Tinder)

In a bid to merge romance with civic responsibility, Tinder, the renowned global platform for meeting new people, has launched an innovative awareness campaign titled 'Every Single Vote Counts'. This initiative, in collaboration with Yuvaa, a prominent youth media organisation in India, and Mark Your Presence, a non-partisan entity dedicated to educating and empowering young voters, aims to inspire first-time daters to transition into first-time voters.

India, poised for the world's largest democratic election this year, with over 20 million young first-time voters, serves as the backdrop for this campaign. It serves as a clarion call, urging young adults, particularly those casting their votes for the first time, to exercise their fundamental civic right - the right to vote.

In-App Stickers and Swipe Cards

The campaign comes as a response to a noticeable surge in interest in political engagement among Indian Tinder users, with mentions of "Voting" in bios increasing nearly threefold over the past year. To facilitate this burgeoning interest, Tinder is introducing in-app voting-themed stickers such as 'Voting Partner Needed', 'First-time Voter', and 'I Voted', allowing users to express their passion and connect with like-minded individuals.

Commencing on April 18 and running until May 15, 2024, Tinder users in India will encounter "Swipe Cards" within the app, guiding them through the voting process and offering essential tips. Each Swipe Card directs users to the Mark Your Presence website for comprehensive information on voter registration and completing the process.

A recent survey conducted by Yuvaa underscores the significance of political engagement among young adults in India. Sixty percent of GenZ respondents expressed a strong preference for dating someone who votes, while nearly one in three indicated that they would find a potential match more attractive if they displayed a serious approach to elections. Furthermore, the survey revealed that 79 percent of GenZ respondents are more inclined to vote if accompanied by a friend or date, highlighting the importance of companionship in encouraging voter turnout.

Collaborative Endeavours for Civic Empowerment

Chaitanya Prabhu, Founder, Mark Your Presence says, I'm thrilled about our partnership with Tinder and Yuvaa. Together, we share a collective dream of empowering young voices and celebrating their right to vote. By providing voter registration opportunities alongside avenues for personal expression, we're not just encouraging individual involvement, we are fueling a shared movement as millions of first-time voters prepare for the elections.”

Aahana Dhar, Tinder's Communications Director in India, said “Over half of Tinder's users are aged between 18 to 25 years old and this collaboration is a great opportunity to encourage younger and newer voters to go to the ballot. We know young daters are passionate about key events that impact their lives and Tinder is giving them a way to express their intent directly in their profile with voting stickers, apart from raising awareness about voter registration for first timers.”    

Maanvi, Editor-in-Chief of Yuvaa, echoed the sentiment, stating, “We've observed a genuine concern about civic responsibilities among young adults in India, which significantly shapes their connections with one another. That's why we're delighted to collaborate with Tinder and Mark Your Presence in encouraging young people to actively participate as informed citizens.”

The campaign doesn't stop at awareness-raising; it provides practical tools for engagement. Tinder users can easily adorn their profiles with voting stickers, fostering a culture of civic discourse and action among India's digitally savvy youth.

With this pioneering initiative, Tinder, alongside its partners, aims to redefine the intersection of romance and responsibility, catalysing a generation of first-time daters into first-time voters.

How to add stickers to your profile on Tinder

Tinder users can effortlessly add stickers to their profiles by tapping on in-app push notifications. These stickers, encapsulating civic pride, can be changed or revisited by tapping on another user's sticker on their profile.