Credit Union National Association members have overwhelmingly voted in favor of new bylaws that end the requirement they belong to both the national association and a state or regional credit union league, the trade group announced Saturday.

The vote comes roughly six months after CUNA's board of directors rejected a similar proposal. That decision was controversial among the membership, leading the $57 million-revenue association to put the issue to a vote by all members.

More than 2,200 credit unions participated, or roughly 43 percent of CUNA members, the association reported. More than 90 percent of votes were in favor of the new bylaws.

"This is a tremendous victory for credit unions," CUNA CEO Jim Nussle said. "I am grateful to our members for this strong vote of confidence in CUNA and for embracing a modern, national trade association model that will help us build an even stronger, more effective, and more united credit union system."

CUNA currently requires members to also belong to a state or local league. However, the industry has experienced a wave of consolidations in recent years, leading members to question the expense of dual membership. Despite the vote, the association is stressing the importance of local leagues to credit unions' mission.

"This new membership model allows us to enhance and build upon our already strong interdependence with the leagues," Nussle said. "Interdependence has helped us serve the best interests of credit unions for many years."

The change will take effect in the 2017 dues cycle, according to CUNA.

In addition to dropping dual membership, the new bylaws provide the board more flexibility in setting its own size and allows it to establish a new dues rate structure.

CUNA announced in September 2015 it planned reduce member dues, having trimmed $1.4 million from its budget that same year. http://bit.ly/1WC7tks

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