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Show The Forum Page4 Elections Go Electronic Emma Ryder Staff Writer This years ASWC elections The have gone high-tecElections Committee has set up virtual voting booths at www.ihallot.com. Along with internet voting, every candidate has a web page with information about themselves. The internet vodng through www.iballot.com will bring a greater voter turn out, said ASWC Elections Chair Clint Bradshaw. The ability to vote from any computer will allow students who h. are off campus during voting hours to participate in the elections. University in New Jersey in the electronic vodng trend. Westminsters online voting booths will be open To vote, go to March www.iballot.com and click on the vodng booth link and type in your user name and password. Iballot.com says for the first dme in history groups like student unions and nonprofit associadons, have at their disposal an efficient and secure voting, testing, surveying & polling method that permits their distant members to vote on any topic or election. Because Westminster has students many who live and work away from the school, the Election Committee decided to bring 18-1- 9. non-tradition- Westminster joins Baruch College in New York City, Benedictine College in Atchison Kansas and Rutgers al electronic voting to Westminster. Bradshaw said the Election Committee has taken into consideration the needs of all students, and in doing so they have increased the availability of election March 12, 2003 Saturdays Workshop to Cultivate Leaders Angel Jenson Staff Writer Westminster will host its first annual Day of information. Leadership on Saturday in With the extra information Gore. The purpose is to available, voters should be able improve students leadership to make well informed skills. The Westminster camdecisions. ASWC presidential pus offers many leadership candidate Aaron Thompson positions including student said it is important to, find elections, resident advisors, out who can do the best job ARWC elections as well as for you. positions in campus clubs. with online voting, Along students can learn about candidates on their web sites and during question and answer sessions, which will take place in the Syme Lounge March 11-1- 4. Many leadership posi- tions change during March and April, and this is a good opportunity for students to develop different skills of The workshops will start at 11:00 a.m. with a keynote speaker and will then breakout into four different sessions. Some discussion topics include creating compelling goals, dealing with difficult people, teambuilding, time management, using meetings effectively, taking control of your finances and confrontation skills. Lunch will be provided. Contact the Office of Student Life to make reservations. 05 leadership. Students Celebrate Beginning of Lent Ben Rippel Staff Writer Last Wednesday, members of the Westminster community walked around campus with small black marks on their foreheads. These ash crosses are placed on the forehead during the first Lenten service of the season, Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the first season day of Lent, a forty-da- y observed before Easter Sunday as part of the Christian Church calendar. During the season, Wednesday church services are frequently added by churches and light soup suppers served. The ashes used for Ash Wednesday come from burning the palm fronds from the previous years observation of Palm Sunday, which is traditionally believed to be when Jesus entered Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is the Sunday just before Easter. Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), also known as Shroud Tuesday is the last time for people to have a party and celebrate before the solemn season of Lent. This is actually where Mardi roots for the modern-da- y Gras lie, not just to have a good time partying. Generally, Catholics and Orthodox Christians also give up an item for Lent. This is done so that when one wants the item, he or she will instead be reminded of Jesus time of trial and hopefully become a little closer to their faith. Also during this time, it is customary for members of these churches to not cat meat on Fridays. It is traditional for Catholic and Orthodox members to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The meaning of fasting has changed slightly since ancient times, and in this case most restrict the types of food that are eaten, but do not completely refrain from eating. Other Christian denominations observe the Lenten season, but many do not place as much emphasis on the symbolism and ceremonies associated with it. This is partly due to how some denominations were formed. They wanted to move away from the feeling of church being a very ritualistic, ceremonial place and make it more accessible to the everyday man. With heightened international tension this year, several churches have decided to adopt peace as a theme to pray for during this years Lenten celebration. Pope John Paul II, leader of the Catholic Church, has made several statements calling for peace. This included issuing a special prayer that parishes could use to pray that world leaders would seek peace ' as well as to bless the Iraqi people. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has also given suggestions to its members for ways to pray for peace. Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church here in Salt Lake City chose to study peace at its Wednesday evening Lenten services, c i |