Unlike regular delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August, the party leaders and elected officials who serve as superdelegates are not bound by the outcome of primaries and caucuses held in their states.

That's made the hundreds of superdelegate votes nationwide highly sought after by both Obama and Clinton as their battle over the Democratic nomination dragged on months longer than anticipated.

Utah Democrats chose Obama over Clinton in the state's Feb. 5 presidential primary, 56 percent to 40 percent. That gave Obama 14 of the state's 23 regular delegates, while Clinton received nine.

Obama has proved popular with Utahns, nearly beating the presumptive GOP nominee, John McCain, in a poll taken last February. McCain has since widened his lead in solidly Republican Utah.

Last summer, Obama attracted about a thousand supporters to an impromptu rally just outside Park City. Clinton has not campaigned in Utah, although both her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and their daughter, Chelsea, have held events for her here.

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Contributing: Suzanne Struglinski

E-mail: lisa@desnews.com