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ABC News September 5, 2018

Miss America pageant begins for the first time sans swimsuit competition

WATCH: New-look Miss America competition set to debut

Two of the most iconic and controversial traditions will be missing when the preliminary competition for the Miss America pageant begins on Wednesday night: The swimsuit and evening gown competitions.

No longer will pageant hopefuls from all over the country be judged by their appearance -- whether in skin-baring bikinis or form-fitting evening wear, the organization announced in June.

Instead, the contestants will take part in a live interactive session with the judges, where they will be judged on their passion, intelligence and overall understanding of the job, the organization said.

PHOTO: Laura Lynn Haller, Miss Montana, introduces herself at the start of the first night of preliminary competition in the Miss America competition, Sept. 5, 2018, in Atlantic City, N.J.
Wayne Parry/AP
Laura Lynn Haller, Miss Montana, introduces herself at the start of the first night of preliminary competition in the Miss America competition, Sept. 5, 2018, in Atlantic City, N.J.

Cara Mund, who was crowned last year while competing as Miss North Dakota, will be the last Miss America to have participated in the swimsuit and evening gown competitions.

(MORE: Miss America is scrapping its swimsuit competition, will no longer judge based on physical appearance)

The Miss America organization has been facing turmoil in recent months.

PHOTO: Miss Georgia 2017 Alyssa Beasley participates in Swimsuit challenge during Miss America 2018, Sept. 7, 2017, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Donald Kravitz/Getty Images
Miss Georgia 2017 Alyssa Beasley participates in Swimsuit challenge during Miss America 2018, Sept. 7, 2017, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
PHOTO: Miss Tennessee 2017 Caty Davis participates in the Swimsuit challenge during the 2018 Miss America Competition Show at Boardwalk Hall Arena, Sept. 10, 2017, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Donald Kravitz/Getty Images
Miss Tennessee 2017 Caty Davis participates in the Swimsuit challenge during the 2018 Miss America Competition Show at Boardwalk Hall Arena, Sept. 10, 2017, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

In December, former CEO Sam Haskell resigned after emails in which he insulted the appearance, intellect and personal lives of former pageant winners were leaked.

(MORE: Amid turmoil, Miss America names 'DWTS' judge Carrie Ann Inaba as co-host)

Mund, 24, also accused Miss America leadership of silencing and bullying her after she was crowned.

"Our chair and CEO have systematically silenced me, reduced me, marginalized me and essentially erased me in my role as Miss America in subtle and not-so-subtle ways on a daily basis," Mund wrote last month in a letter to past winners, according to the AP.

PHOTO: Miss America 2018 is crowned, Sept 10, 2017, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
ABC via Getty Images
Miss America 2018 is crowned, Sept 10, 2017, in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Gretchen Carlson, the first former Miss America to be named chair of the Board of Trustees of the Miss America Organization, responded to Mund on Twitter, saying that she has "never" bullied or silenced her and will "continue to support her."

Please see my statement in full below pic.twitter.com/rvmee4es7g

— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) August 20, 2018

The finals of the 2019 Miss America Competition airs live Sunday on ABC at 9 p.m. ET. "Dancing With the Stars" judge Carrie Ann Inaba will host the pageant.

(MORE: Miss America Cara Mund on going public with alleged bullying: 'I had to stand up')

ABC News' Katie Kindelan, Michael Rothman and Catherine Thorbecke contributed to this report.