Miss DC USA Wins Miss USA 2016 Crown After Slaying Question About Women in the Military

Impact

On Sunday night, 52 contestants sashayed across the stage at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas ready to compete for the title of Miss USA. 

The 2016 pageant set itself apart from those of previous years by featuring an online search for a 52nd entrant — appropriately dubbed "Miss 52." The winner, Alexandra Miller, joined the 51 contestants representing their states (and the District of Columbia) onstage Sunday. 

Watch the Miss USA 2016 livestream here.

The Winner

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Logistics Commander Miss District of Columbia, Deshauna Barber, captured the top crown during Sunday night's ceremony. The 26-year old IT Analyst and Logistics Commander brought the house down during the question and answer portion of the evening with a refined response in favor of the United States military allowing women to serve in all sectors.

"As a woman in the United States army, I think it was an amazing job by our government to allow women to integrate into every branch of the military. We are just a tough as men," she said.

The Final 5 Contestants

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

District of Columbia

Alabama

California

Georgia

Hawaii

How to vote for the winner

You can cast your vote for your favorite contestant until 9 p.m. EST on Sunday via three different methods: 

1. Miss U App

Download the pageant's official app via iTunes or Google Play and vote up to 10 times a day for your pick.

2. Website

Head over to Miss USA's official website to cast another 10 votes per day via desktop.

3. Twitter

If your Twitter account is public, you can also vote by tweeting or retweeting with the official #MissUSA hashtag, paired with the hashtag specific to the contestant of your choosing.