Stan Lockhart determined late last week that, as state Republican chairman, he could free Utah's delegates to vote for whomever they want. They currently are bound to vote for Romney, who received 90 percent of the vote in Utah's primary.

The state's central committee will consider the issue at an emergency meeting on Aug. 23, eight days before the Republican National Convention.

Romney asked the state to release his delegates after he suspended his presidential campaign in February.

The change could spare the state party the embarrassment of voting for a candidate who dropped out of the race, and help the national party appear united behind McCain.

"This is coming from Mitt Romney. This is not coming from party leaders," said Lockhart. "Since it was in response to his request, and he wants it done, it seemed like the right thing to do."

Delegate Don Guymon disagrees. He says Utah voters made their wishes known when they overwhelmingly supported Romney.

"I don't think it's fair to them to suddenly change the rules after the game has been played," said Guymon, who supported Rep. Ron Paul's candidacy, but will vote for Romney at the convention no matter what.

"I think you're honoring Mitt Romney, and I don't think the vote is wasted in saying, 'Hey, your vote counted,' " he said.

Lockhart said he suspects the committee will make the change, since most committee members said they supported his unilateral decision to free the delegates.

If that is the case, McCain could receive nearly all of Utah's delegates, even though he received just 5 percent of the state's primary vote.

It is unlikely, Lockhart said, that Romney will even be nominated at the convention, because he has asked his supporters not to submit his name. So, if the rules aren't changed, Utah delegates would vote for Romney, but their votes would not be counted.

The issue of whether to unbind the delegates from Romney was put before state delegates at the Utah Republican Convention in June, but as the convention dragged on and opposition persisted, officials postponed a vote and planned to resolve the matter later.

Lockhart said his decision to release delegates didn't need the central committee's backing, but he sought its support anyway. After a few resisted, he decided to put the question to a committee vote on Aug. 23.

At that meeting, which he said will be closed to the public, the committee could ratify his decision, adopt a resolution or change the bylaws to release the delegates. They could then vote for anyone, but McCain's support would be nearly unanimous.

Utah Republican presidential

primary

In the state GOP's winner-take-all system, Romney dominated with 90 percent of the vote.

* 264,956 Mitt Romney.

* 15,931 John McCain.

* 8,846 Ron Paul.

* 4,252 Mike Huckabee.

* Every other candidate received less than 1,000 votes.