app/views/help/faq/_free.md
In contrast to a [rebel vote](#rebel), a free vote (also known as a [conscience vote](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscience_vote)) occurs when MPs or Senators are not obliged to vote with their party. Free votes
are rare. For example, between 1950 and 2007
[only 32 free votes](http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp0809/09rp20#_Toc221347466)
took place. More recently in 2012 and 2013, the legislation related to same sex marriage
[was decided by a free vote](/policies/1).
Unbelievably there is no official record of free votes nor of the party whips. We base our list
of known free votes on Parliamentary library research and media reports. It is possible
that there are free votes which neither we nor the general public know about because
whether a vote is whipped or not is never published.
Note that we use the term free vote over the more common "conscience vote" as it is
a more accurate term. In a free vote people are freed from the discipline of the party whip so
they can better do their job of representing the views of their electorates.
Also, it's possible for there to be free votes that are not on "matters of conscience".