The Miss Maine competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Maine in the Miss America pageant. Maine has been represented in the pageant since 1937, although the state has never produced a winner.
With Alaska became the latest state crowned the Miss America title, Maine is one of the few states along with South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming that has yet to win a Miss America, Miss USA, or Miss Teen USA title.
Ruthie Gusley of Phillips was crowned Miss Maine on June 27, 2026, at the Donald M. Gay Performing Arts Center in Auburn, Maine. She competed for the title of Miss America 2027 on September 6, 2026, at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Results summary The following is a visual summary of the past results of Miss Maine titleholders at the national Miss America pageants/competitions. The year in parentheses indicates the year of the national competition during which a placement and/or award was garnered, not the year attached to the contestant's state title.
Placements 2nd runners-up: Karen Johanna Johnson (1971) 4th runners-up: Allyn Warner (1972) Top 18: Iva Stewart (1933)
Awards Preliminary awards Preliminary Talent: Allyn Warner (1972), Veronica Druchniak (2024)
Non-finalist awards Non-finalist Talent: Sally Ann Robinson (1961), Dawn Frances Christie (1962), Marilyn Lash (1973), Laurie Wathen (1988), Elizabeth Edgecomb (2004), Ami Vice (2005), Susie Stauble (2010), Kristin Korda (2014)
Other awards Bernie Wayne Scholarship: Ami Vice (2005) Miss Congeniality: Mariah Larocque (2022)
Winners
Year Name Hometown Age Local Title Miss America Talent Placement at Miss America Special scholarships at Miss America Notes2026Ruthie GusleyPhillips19Miss Franklin CountyAcrobatics2025Paige LessardBiddeford24Miss York CountyHerStory Previously USA National Miss Maine Teen 2019 Previously 2021 National Elite Miss2024Jennie DaleySullivan28Miss DowneastHerStory: I Want to Be An Engineer 2023 Veronica Druchniak Standish 27 Aerial Acrobatics Preliminary Talent Award 2022 Madison Leslie Lewiston 22 Vocal, "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen Previously Miss Maine's Outstanding Teen 2016 2021 Mariah Larocque Portland 25 Miss Sunrise County Vocal, "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston colspan="3" Miss Congeniality2019–20Carolyn BradyBrunswick 22Violin, "Roundtable Rival" by Lindsey Stirling First African American to win title4th runner-up at Miss Maine USA 2017 pageant2018Olivia MayoMinot 20 Vocal, "Send In the Clowns" 2017 Katie Elliott Scarborough 22 Vocal, "Someone to Watch Over Me" Previously Miss Maine's Outstanding Teen 2013 2016 Marybeth Noonan Raymond 20 Vocal, "I Got Rhythm" from Girl Crazy Previously Miss Maine's Outstanding Teen 2010Contestant at National Sweetheart 2015 pageant 2015 Kelsey Earley Lebanon 24 Miss York Harbor Clogging, "Happy" by C2C Contestant at National Sweetheart 2012 pageant 2014 Audrey Thames Topsham 19 Miss Topsham Comedic Monologue, "Yma Dream" by Thomas Meehan 2013 Kristin Korda Saco 21 Miss Casco Bay Vocal, "Finding Wonderland" Non-finalist Talent Award Previously Miss Maine's Outstanding Teen 2009 2012 Molly Bouchard Caribou 21 Miss Northern Aroostook Classical Vocal, "Quando m'en vò" from La bohème Previously Maine's Junior Miss 2008 2011 Julia Furtado Dayton 19 Miss Seacoast Vocal, "Over the Rainbow" 2010 Arikka Knights Chester 24 Miss Greater Lincoln Tap Dance, "Jumpin' Jack" Contestant at National Sweetheart 2007 pageant 2009 Susie Stauble Gray 22 Vocal, "Stand Up for Love" Non-finalist Talent Award 2008 Adrienne Watkinson Topsham 23 Miss Topsham Violin 2007 Tara Allain Waterville 22 Miss Kennebec County Dance, "Hangin' By a Thread" 2006 Karissa Staples Biddeford 19 Miss Greater Portland Vocal, "Take Me or Leave Me" from Rent 2005 Megan Beals Ludlow 22 Miss Houlton Vocal, "Johnny One Note" 2004 Ami Vice Lisbon Falls 23 Classical Vocal, "Chi Il Bel Sogno di Doretta" from La rondine Bernie Wayne ScholarshipNon-finalist Talent Award 2003 Elizabeth Edgecomb Limestone 20 Classical Piano, Fantaisie-Impromptu Non-finalist Talent Award 2002 Rachel Wadsworth Hiram 20 Miss Forest City Rhythm Tap Dance Contestant at National Sweetheart 2001 pageant 2001 Meranda Hafford Washburn 20 Miss Northern Aroostook Vocal, "Next Time I Love" 2000 Renee Belanger 22 Jazz Dance, "Jet Prologue" from West Side Story 1999 Rebecca Pelkey Howland 21 Miss Greater Portland Character Ballet, "Can-can" 1998 Stephany Stanley Canton 20 Miss Southeast Acro-Jazz Dance, "The Stampede!" from The Lion King Contestant at National Sweetheart 1997 pageant 1997 Rachel Binder Presque Isle 23 Miss Aroostook County Lyrical Ballet. "Seasons of Love" 1996 Sarah Nadeau Portland 20 Miss Greater Portland Classical Vocal, "Addio" from La bohème 1995 Sharon Pelletier Madawaska 23 Popular Vocal, "At This Moment" 1994 Victoria Reynolds Bangor 22 Miss Cumberland County Tap Dance 1993 Josette Huntress Limestone 21 Miss Northern Maine Piano 1992 Christina Jane Lasso Augusta 23 Miss Central Maine Classical Vocal, "Una Voce Poco Fa" from The Barber of Seville 1991 Dorie Noble South Portland 25 Miss Cumberland County Comedic Monologue, "Yma Dream" by Thomas Meehan 1990 Ann Rowe Auburn 26 Miss Greater Portland Vocal, "Bring Him Home" from Les Misérables 1989 Jane Brochu Augusta 25 Miss Augusta Vocal, "Stormy Weather" 1988 Lisa Kent Gorham 21 Miss Cumberland County Gymnastics / Jazz Dance 1987 Laurie Wathen Fort Fairfield 25 Miss Northern Aroostook Piano, "Symphony No. 9" by Ludwig van Beethoven Non-finalist Talent Award 1986 Victoria Reed Falmouth 26 Miss Windjammer Vocal, "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" 1985 Mary Margaret Nightingale Fort Fairfield 20 Miss Southern Aroostook Vocal, "The Blue Danube" 1984 Lisa Johnson South Portland 22 Miss Cumberland County Electric Violin 1983 Brenda Theriault Presque Isle 22 Miss Southern Aroostook Vocal, "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey" 1982 Rebecca Beck Brunswick 21 Miss Bangor Classical Vocal, "Adele's Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus 1981 Kathleen Jarrell Orr's Island 19 Miss Windjammer Vocal Medley, "Swanee", "My Mammy", & "I'm Happy" 1980 Valerie Crooker Brunswick 24 Miss Brunswick Vocal / Dance Previously Miss Maine USA 1979 1979 Jill O'Brien Bangor 22 Miss Bangor Ballet, "Irish Suite" 1978 Linda Carroll Alfred 22 Miss Maine Mall Semi-classical Vocal, "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady 1977 Terry Gilpatrick Lincoln 18 Miss Lincoln Pantomime, "Me and My Shadow" 1976 Susan Wanbaugh Presque Isle 19 Miss Maine Potato Queen Dramatic Monologue from As You Like It 1975 Patricia Cyr Madawaska 18 Vocal, "Cabaret" 1974 Margaret Ann Welch Bangor 22 Miss Greater Bangor Vocal, "Killing Me Softly with His Song" 1973 Carlene Quimby Auburn 20 Miss University of Maine Vocal, "I Cain't Say No" from Oklahoma! 1972 Marilyn Lash Friendship 19 Semi-classical Vocal, "Poor Wand'ring One" from The Pirates of Penzance Non-finalist Talent Award 1971 Allyn Warner Falmouth 21 Miss Greater Portland Semi-classical Vocal, "Mira" from Carnival 4th runner-up Preliminary Talent Award 1970 Karen Johanna Johnson Cumberland Foreside 20 Classical Vocal, "Quando me'n vo'" 2nd runner-up 1969 Kirsten Elizabeth Bell Caribou 18 Miss Caribou Piano, Theme from The Apartment 1968 Brenda Renee Verceles Bangor 19 Miss Bangor Tap Dance, "Step to the Rear" from How Now, Dow Jones 1967 Linda Christine Livanda Cape Elizabeth 19 Miss Cape Elizabeth Original Recitation & Dance, "Dance of the Decades" 1966 Mary Kathryn Gonya Millinocket 20 Miss Millinocket Recitation 1965 Ellen Margaret Fowler Old Orchard Beach 19 Miss Gorham State Teachers' College Vocal / Dance, "Some People" 1964 Ellen Warren Kennebunk 18 Vocal / Dance 1963 Elaine Ann Ouillette Lewiston Miss Lewiston Musical Variety Act 1962 Barbara Jean Orr Portland 19 Miss Livermore Falls Vocal, "I Wanna Be Loved by You" 1961 Dawne Frances Christie Gray 21 Miss Scarborough Piano, "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11" Non-finalist Talent Award 1960 Sally Ann Robinson Enfield 20 Miss Lincoln Monologue / Piano Non-finalist Talent Award 1959 Linda Dorothy Ann Mills Lewiston 18 Dramatic Reading 1958 Terry Suzanne Tripp Ballet 1957 Carol Ann Bartels Bath Drama / Art 1956 Mary Ellen Sanborn Gardiner Drama 1955 Janice Vaughn Waterville Dramatic Monologue 1954 Mary Ellen St. John Old Town Drama 1953 Karen Diane Thorsell Portland Vocal 1952 Norma Lee Collins Caribou 1951 Beverly Ann Emery Auburn Classical Vocal from The Student Prince 1950 Jane Harragan Millinocket Dramatic Monologue, "The Corn Is Green" 1949 Connie Marie Gingras Augusta 21 Fencing 1948 Muriel Applebee Enfield 1947No Maine representative at Miss America pageant 1946 1945 Virginia Trask Portland 18 Vocal, "I Should Care" 1944No Maine representative at Miss America pageant 1943 Eleanor Fournier Westbrook 1942No Maine representative at Miss America pageant 1941 1940 Shirley Edith Houston Augusta 1939No Maine representative at Miss America pageant 1938 Doris Marie Bergeron Lewiston 1937 Cornelia Campbell South Portland 1936 Edna Smith Portland Miss Portland Dolly Stewart Rockland 1935 Edith Lucresa Smith 1934No national pageant was held1933 Iva Stewart 19 Top 18 1932No national pageants were held 1931 1930 1929 1928 1924–1927No Maine representative at Miss America pageant 1923 Winona Evelyn Drew Portland Miss Portland 1922 1921
Controversies In 2015, pageant contestant Marisa Butler attracted controversy for her volunteer role catching and tagging sharks with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Butler was staging bikini shot pictures after dragging sharks onto the beach to be tagged - a practice considered by experts to be harmful. Butler responded to the criticism on Facebook, writing: "I am working towards spreading awareness and changing public opinion about sharks."
References
External links Official website