Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the registration deadline?
A1: For the 2009 pageant, the applications are sent as requests are received, and you have 30 days to return the application.  Extensions are granted on a case by case basis.  Once your application has been received and accepted, you must turn in your registration fee, ads and paperwork by April 2009.  

Q2: I'd like to be a contestant in the pageant, but someone already has my county's title.  Can I still compete?
A2: Yes.  We allow contestants to represent geographical areas at the city, township, borough, region or county level, so if another contestant has already been awarded your county's title, you can still represent any level of geographical area in the same year's pageant.

Q3: Is there a fee to hold a local title?
A3: Absolutely not!  We believe that ALL contestants should have equal opportunity in front of the judges, and having to pay extra for a local title, crown and banner ("regalia") sets up a community of haves vs. have-nots.  Our registration fee, which is lower than most others in the state, covers the cost of your regalia.

Q4: What is covered by my registration fee?
A4: Your registration fee covers your regalia, your meals during contestant orientation and pageant weekend, and YES it also covers your accommodations (with a roommate), and even your transportation to and from rehearsals, interviews, dinners and the like.  Essentially, from the moment you arrive for pageant weekend, we take care of you until the time you leave, so you can concentrate on being your best for the competition!

Q5: Is the pageant televised?
A5: The national pageant is televised in syndication (not live) on iTV network (formerly PAX tv).  The state pageant is not currently televised.

Q6: What happens at the contestant orientation?
A6: The contestant orientation will be a time to meet fellow contestants, get information about pageant week, turn in paperwork, find out your contestant number and roommate, and rehearse some of the staging for competitions and production numbers.  The contestant orientation is mandatory for all contestants.  The exact location is to be determined and we will update the Events page with that information.

Q7: Is there a height, weight, age, motherhood or length of marriage requirement?
A7: There is NO height or weight requirement, however contestants should be generally physically fit to the point where they are comfortable competing in the swimsuit competition.  Factors such as having children or being married for a certain length of time are not considered.  Former Mrs. New Jerseys have been 5'2" and 5'8", multiple sizes, barely 30 and well into their 40s, had no children, had multiple children, were married for 15 years and were married less than a year when they won.  Simply put, the only official eligibility requirements are those listed on the Rules page of this website.

Q8: What is the time commitment for the winner?  How do you manage daytime appearances for women who work during the day?
A8: The Mrs. United States Organization celebrates the modern married woman and her commitment to her husband, family, and career. We realize that all of these things take a much higher priority than pageantry and that pageantry takes on a slightly different meaning in the married realm. We wouldn't want our contestants or titleholders to participate in our program at the expense of their family or other commitments, which is why being a titleholder in a "Mrs." system is less structured than it is in the "Miss" division. Our philosophy is that most appearances and other commitments are voluntary and are at your discretion. As your schedule permits, you are welcomed to do as many or as few appearances as you would like. We are happy to arrange appearances for you if and when you are able, and the only time we would have a "pseudo-mandatory" appearance is if we had a major sponsor who wanted our titleholder to do an appearance. We let our sponsors know that it is subject to availability, so if a sponsor is having a grand opening and it's the same day as your cousin's wedding, you would be able to go to the wedding. Conversely, if you are available and just having a bad hair day, we'd ask you to tuck your hair up inside your crown and come to support the sponsor who supported us all!  Generally speaking, we're flexible, as well as respectful of your time.

For example, a titleholder may choose to book several appearances during a particular month, but for the following month, she may opt not to do any appearances and to take some vacation and holiday time with her husband and family. You can choose to do all appearances only on evenings or weekends, only during the day, or a mix of both. Daytime appearances are often difficult for contestants who work a 9-5 type job, so we realize that it may be difficult, if not impossible, to make those types of appearances. It can sometimes be helpful to do those types of appearances on days when your office might be closed or if you happen to have some time during your day off. The only work days that we know for certain you will need to be available are the Friday of the state pageant and, should you become Mrs. New Jersey United States, the days of the national pageant (usually the last week of July).  As Michelle is a former state titleholder in the Miss America system, we totally understand the demands of some systems that require quite a bit of your free or family time, but this pageant is MUCH more relaxed and laid back! It is as much or as little as you make it!