Editor’s note: Voting on proposed ISACA bylaws updates began 21 September and will continue for a six-week period. Below, see several frequently asked questions about the proposed changes. For the full set of FAQs and other information related to the vote, visit our bylaws updates webpage.
Why is ISACA updating its governance and bylaws?
As ISACA has grown into a larger and more complex global professional association, its governance has evolved as well. Periodically reviewing governing documents is part of good organizational stewardship and helps ensure that we continue to support the organization's size, complexity and future needs.
The proposed governance and bylaws updates are intended to modernize and simplify our governing documents while preserving strong governance, member oversight and transparency. All eligible members—professional members in good standing—have the opportunity to review the proposed updates and be part of deciding how we move forward.
“ISACA was built by members and continues to be guided by members,” ISACA CEO Erik Prusch said. “This is one of the ways we collectively shape our future. Your vote helps ensure that decisions about ISACA are informed by the people who make this community what it is.”
What are the main goals of these changes?
The proposed governance and bylaws updates are designed to:
- Modernize ISACA's governance framework
- Improve clarity and consistency throughout the bylaws
- Preserve strong governance and member oversight
- Align with best practices for organizations of ISACA’s size
Overall, the goal is to ensure ISACA's governance continues to serve both the organization and our members well into the future.
Why are Board terms changing from one year to three years?
The proposal would move Board Director terms from one year to three-year terms while keeping the current maximum of nine years of total service.
Longer terms help provide continuity for long-term initiatives while still creating regular opportunities for new leadership and fresh perspectives. This approach reflects governance best practices used by many global nonprofit organizations and helps ensure important work can continue without unnecessary disruption.
A one-year board term could lead to 100% board turnover in a given year, leading to disruption and lack of knowledge transfer. Staggering three-year terms reduces that risk and enables only one-third of the board to turn over in a given year, ensuring a level of consistency.
Why is the quorum requirement changing from 5% to 4%?
A quorum is the minimum number of member votes required for an election or vote to be valid or to bring items to the floor at the annual general meeting.
As ISACA has grown to nearly 200,000 members around the world, achieving the current quorum has become increasingly difficult. The proposed update is intended to better reflect today's global membership and voting environment while continuing to encourage broad member participation. A 4% quorum in 2026, for example, represents a higher number of members than a 5% quorum in 2015, which is the last time a bylaws vote occurred.
Reducing the quorum to 4% helps ensure member votes can continue to guide important governance decisions without impacting the value of participation. Every eligible member's vote continues to carry equal weight.
Why is ISACA changing its legal jurisdiction to Washington DC?
This proposal would change the jurisdiction where ISACA is legally incorporated from California to Washington DC. This is known as re-domestication, and it is accomplished through a statutory merger, in which a Washington DC entity is formed, the California and Washington DC entities merge, and the Washington DC entity is the only one that emerges. You will see this language and the terms of the merger on the ballot.
Washington DC has a legal framework specifically designed for large, international nonprofit and professional membership organizations. Moving ISACA’s legal home there would better align our governance structure with organizations of similar size and scope, while supporting long-term operational flexibility.
This change is legal in nature and does not affect ISACA’s name, mission, or location of our physical headquarters location and other regional offices.
