A divide has emerged within the Miss America Organization between state pageant officials and former winners over its current leadership.

Representatives from 22 state pageants had signed a petition calling for the resignation of the new Miss America board, including Chairwoman Gretchen Carlson and President and CEO Regina Hopper.

The petition expresses a vote of no confidence in the MAO’s Board of Trustees and Hopper, citing a lack of transparency and adherence to best practices.

“As dedicated members of our state and local communities who lend our reputations, financial support and voluntary efforts to facilitate MAO’s long and powerful mission of empowering women to stand up and speak out, we find ourselves needing to use our own voices of leadership to express our profound disappointment regarding what, in our view, is the failed leadership of the entire MAO Board of Trustees led by Ms. Gretchen Carlson as its chair and Ms. Regina Hopper as its President and CEO,” said a petition circulated online and provided to the press.

(With inputs from IANS)