Topic: Miss Georgia

The pageant's interview portion featured "stupid" and "tough" questions regarding stringent voting laws and economic inequality. Miss California "choked" while trying to explain how to narrow the gap between rich and poor, while Miss Hawaii was booed for being asked who she would vote for between Clinton and Trump. The organization later clarified on Twitter that the judges did not write the controversial questions.

Miss Georgia, Betty Cantrell, won the Miss America title following an operatic performance that was praised for its Broadway potential. The live broadcast was marred by technical errors, including hot microphones capturing stage directions and poor audio mixing. Other talent performances, such as Miss Mississippi's violin solo, were criticized for being musically off-key, highlighting the uneven quality of the competition's talent segment.