Miss America Organization Scoring for Local Competitions for FY 2008-2009.

Competitions scored on a scale of 1 through 10 using whole numbers only.
35% - - - Talent
25% - - - Interview
20% - - - Evening Wear
15% - - - Lifestyle and Fitness in Swimsuit
  5% - - - On-Stage Question

Local Programs will not announce a "Top Five" for a "Top Five" competition like we did at Miss NH and Miss NH's Outstanding Teen in 2008. The winner and runners-up will be named from the entire group of contestants. Local Programs are required to have the auditors hand back to each judge a Final Ballot listing the Top Five contestants in competition order (not by point totals). The Auditors will simply hand the five names back to the judges and have each judge rank the contestants with the pre-set scores on the "Final Ballot" form. This scoring will take place during the final production number, farewell, etc. The outcome of the competition will be determined solely by the results of the Final Ballot. As all of the contestants appear on stage for the results, the emcee will announce the runners up as in the past-in other words the emcee will not announce a Top Five, but will simply announce from among the contestants on stage the runners-up and winner. The Local winner and runners-up will be announced solely from the results of the Final Ballot.

Top Five Final Ballot Explanation

Judges are instructed well ahead of time that once all On-Stage competitions are completed - Talent, Swimsuit, Evening Wear, and Casual Wear - the auditors will determine the Top Five contestants. At this point, all previous points will be discarded and each of the Top Five contestants will have zero points. (Program Staff will show the judges the Final Ballot so they are familiar with this ballot before it is handed to them during the final moments of the competition, so that they may review it.)

Each judge will then be provided a Final Ballot. He/she should then list the contestants in the order he/she believes the contestants should finish. A 1st place vote will be worth 10 points, a 2nd place vote worth 5 points, a 3rd place vote worth 3 points, a 4th place vote worth 2 points and a 5th place vote worth 1 point. These points will be totaled and these points alone will determine the outcome of the pageant.

Judges will be reminded to vote their conscience and to accurately place the contestants in the order in which they individually believe the contestants should finish without any consideration to any other factors.