Bernie Sanders supporters blocked from Tinder after using app for campaigning

Two people admitted they had sent scores of campaign messages to Tinder 'matches' in bid to drum up support ahead of New Hampshire primary

Sanders campaigners have been banned from Tinder (Justin Sullivan/Getty)

Supporters of US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders have reportedly been banned from dating app Tinder after using the platform to campaign for the Democrat.

Two women said they had been locked out of the site because they had spammed men using Tinder with numerous pro-Sanders messages in the run-up to the New Hampshire primary on 9 February, Reuters reported.

One woman, 23-year-old Robyn Gedrich, claimed she had sent more than 60 messages per day for a fortnight in an attempt to rally support for Sanders.

On her Twitter feed, she shared an article featuring a snapshot of the Tinder message she had sent, that read: “Do you feel the bern. Please text WORK to 82623 for me. Thanks!”

The number was given out to people interested as signing up to volunteer for Sanders’ campaign, providing information about how to get involved, and Gedrich reportedly sent it to as many people as possible – opting to ‘match’ with everyone she could in a bid to spread the message.

Sanders supporters have been optimistic following a near-draw with Democrat rival Hillary Clinton in the Iowa caucuses on 1 February, which saw Sanders take 21 delegates to Clinton’s 23.

Another woman, who signed up to Tinder despite being married, said she had spoken to between 50 and 100 people per day, changing her location so she could speak with people in New Hampshire ahead of the primary.

Some of the men the women spoke to thought they were being spammed by a bot, while other responded with support for other candidates, but evidently a number of people reported the messages to Tinder.

Both women told Reuters they had been unable to access their accounts since 4 February when they were locked out of the app, getting notices that they had been reported for sending pro-Sanders messages.