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Step 1
Type up and make copies of your score sheet. Your sheet should come filled out with the contestant's name, number and category. There should be easy to follow columns and rows that are spaced enough to prevent errors when the judges fill in the scores. A column for the judge's tally of the category is helpful to the auditors. Make sure to make extra copies in case a judge makes a mistake big enough to warrant a new sheet for a category.
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Step 2
Train your judges to be familiar with your score sheet prior to the pageant. Most experienced judges will catch on to your system quickly, however every pageant's score sheet is unique. Take a few minutes prior to the pageant to review your layout and answer any questions your judges may have. This is also a good time to discuss scoring expectations your have for your pageant and let them know whether or not the score sheets will be made available to the contestants after the event.
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Step 3
Secure a reputable auditor. Small local pageants often use a volunteer with a calculator, but larger pageants, especially those that are a preliminary to a national system should hire an accountant to perform these duties. To prevent gossip about your scoring, it is best if your auditor is seated at the judging table. As each category finishes, people see the judges pass their score sheets directly to her. The integrity your pageant displays during the auditing phase is vital to your reputation.
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Step 4
Confirm results with the auditor verbally before announcing them on stage. The count-down format of runners-up to the winner has confused more than one auditor in the past. Whether urban legend, or cliché based on fact, the winners being read backwards is a common fear in the pageant world. Make certain your auditor filled out the final winners correctly.
