A letter published in the Irish Times has proposed a method to determine public opinion on a united Ireland without immediately triggering a binding referendum. The writer suggests holding a non-binding indicative vote on the constitutional question alongside future elections in Northern Ireland, such as a Stormont Assembly election.

Under the Belfast Agreement, only the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland can call a border poll. To make that decision, the Secretary of State requires information on the likelihood of a majority voting in favour of a united Ireland. The letter notes that despite surveys and opinion polls, there is an absence of agreed, definitive information.

The proposal outlines that voters would receive a separate ballot paper with two options: remain in the UK or join a united Ireland. Because the vote is non-binding, the writer argues it would be less frightening for everyone involved. Repeating the indicative vote at regular intervals would normalise the idea of asking the question and take some of the heat out of the political issue.

The letter also claims the vote would increase turnout in elections, which is generally considered a good thing in a democracy. It points out that the UK parliament used a similar system of indicative votes in March 2019 during the Brexit debate.

The writer further suggests that if the indicative vote achieved 47 per cent or higher in favour of a united Ireland, the Secretary of State would then prepare the ground for a full, binding referendum within two years. The only additional cost mentioned is marginal, for printing the voting papers and counting the votes.

The letter is signed only "Yours, etc" without a name, and the author's identity is not provided in the source article.