free vote
Noun
Meaning
free vote (plural free votes)
(politics) In a Westminster parliamentary system and other democratic systems, a vote by members of a legislative body in which the members are permitted by their respective political parties to vote as they individually see fit, without direction from their political leaders.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Examples
Almost no one expects a free vote on 18 October, when President Doctor Alhaji (Colonel, Retired) is up for re-election (AC Vol 42 No 6).
He told Northern Ireland newspaper the News Letter: "If she allowed the Tory party to have a free vote on this then she would have to accept the consequences.
“Everyone they recruit to vote for them gets one free vote.
We have decided, on balance, to go for a free vote, so he is going to look a bit foolish resigning for nothing.