If a judge is assigned to a category that they have entered, what should they do?

When a judge is assigned to a category they have personally entered, asking the competition organizer for reassignment is the appropriate course of action. This ensures integrity and fairness in the judging process, as a judge must remain impartial and objective, especially regarding their own entries.

By requesting reassignment, the judge helps maintain the credibility of the competition and avoids potential conflicts of interest. Judges are expected to adhere to ethical standards, and self-judging in a category where they have competing entries can lead to perceptions of bias or favoritism, undermining the entire judging process.

This practice is vital in competitions to uphold the principles of fairness and to provide all entrants with a level playing field. Other options would not adequately address the ethical concerns associated with judging a category in which one has a personal entry.