Miss Missouri and Miss Missouri’s Teen
Selection of Judges

  • Judges may judge up to two (2) state competitions and four (4) local competitions in any given competition year - defined as the number of candidates sent to a state competition. This is not a “Calendar year.”

  • A local judge panel should consist of five (5), six (6) or seven (7) judges. At least one of the judges MUST be a novice judge. Novice is defined as someone who has never judged within the Miss America system.

  • Judges may judge up to two (2) state competitions and four (4) local competitions in any given competition year - defined as the number of candidates sent to a state competition. This is not a “Calendar year.”

  • Individuals, their company/business, spouse, immediate family, domestic partner or significant other, who in any way benefit, financially or otherwise, from working with candidates or the organization are barred from judging.

  • Individuals who are related to candidates through blood relation, by marriage, through business contacts (including with candidates’ families), or social contacts (including with candidates’ families) may not judge those candidates.

  • Parents and other relatives of a candidate may not judge any state or local competitions.

  • Former candidates and their family members, whether from a local, state, or national Miss America Competition or a competition similar in nature to the Miss America Competition, and regardless if they won one of the said competitions, cannot judge until a minimum of one (1) year after they have stopped competing.

  • Persons who may be potential candidates, including MAOTeen titleholders, MAOTeen candidates and their family members, are not allowed to judge at any level of the Miss America program until the criteria set forth above are met.

  • At the Local Competition Level a judge may be allowed to judge a candidate, whom they previously judged, however, they must do so with absolute objectivity and without bias.

  • Judges who are related by blood or marriage, romantically involved, business associates, or roommates may not serve on the same judging panel

  • Judges may not judge the same competition for two consecutive years. This applies to both local and state competitions.

  • At the local level, two individuals from the same local competition may judge another local in the same year, but no members of a local board may judge the same local two consecutive years.

  • Sponsors, partners, and contributors (financial or in-kind), as well as their employees and family members, are barred from judging. Donors to the general scholarship are allowed to judge. 

  • Relatives of state/local board members may not judge in the state or that state’s local competitions for which the relative serves as a board member.

  • Anyone who engages or has engaged in conduct, in the sole or exclusive judgment of MAO, which adversely reflects and considered harmful to MAO’s reputation, including the uttering or publishing of any disparaging comments regarding MAO, affiliates, or participants in the Miss America Program; and/or fails to present communications to members of the public in a professional manner to maintain and enhance the Miss America Program’s broad public acceptance and in order to prevent damage to MAO’s business or reputation are barred from judging.

    Miss and Teen Judging Protocol, Expectations
    and Mechanics

    • Electronic devices must be turned off.

    • Judges are not permitted to attend rehearsals or leave the theater during the competition.

    • Do not talk, laugh, or applaud while candidates are competing on-stage.

    • Judges may applaud production, guest introductions, and candidates/contestants as a group.

    • Conversations at the judge's table should be extremely limited.

    • Observe all candidates/contestants and mark your score sheet directly after each one.

    • Contestants/Candidates are NOT competing against each other.

    • Give the last candidate/contestant the same attention and consideration as the first contestant/candidate.

    • Do not score easier or more difficult as the competition continues.

    • If you make a change on your score sheet, initial it before handing it in.

    • Do not share your scoring with anyone.

    • Do not compare scores.

    • Judges and all associated with the judging process cannot discuss the candidates/contestants.

    • Do not discuss anything that transpired during the judging process with anyone during or after the competition.

    • All requests from anyone for advice on performances must be declined.

    • All candidate/contestant paperwork must be safeguarded while in use and disposed of in a confidential manner.

    • Judges must conduct themselves in a professional and appropriate manner.

    • Judges should not be in the company of contestants/candidates or other judges outside normal judging duties.

    • Judges cannot be friends or following any competing candidates/contestants or their immediate family members in social media.

    • No one should go backstage, including guests or judges without escorts.

    • Judging materials are confidential and should not be duplicated, shared with others or left in a location where anyone other the Judge has access to them.

    • There can be no discussions about any part of the competition, candidates/contestants or program outside of designated meetings.

    • The Local Organization will direct you regarding social media.