In an effort to place the controversial traffic camera issue on the November ballot, a referendum petition was delivered to Steubenville's finance director Wednesday.

Attorney Gary Stern, who spearheaded a lawsuit to have the cameras removed, said the petition contained over 760 signatures. If the petition contains at least 564 valid signatures of registered Steubenville voters, the camera ordinance will be placed on the November ballot for a vote.

In a letter to Michael Marshall, Steubenville finance director, Stern said the Board of Elections must examine the signatures and return the petitions to the finance office within 10 days.

In the letter, Stern said, "Assuming there is a sufficient number of valid signatures on the petitions, then the ordinance will not take effect unless it is passed by the voters of Steubenville at the general election in November."

In March, Judge David Henderson ruled the citations issued by the automated cameras were invalid because they were not in compliance with the notice provision of the ordinance.

Henderson said signs warning drivers of the traffic cameras should have been posted prior to the cameras actually being put in place, but they were not. The judge further ordered that those persons who paid the fines would be reimbursed.

Stern initially filed suit in February against the city and Traffipax Inc., the company who supplied the cameras.

The attorney filed suit on behalf of his wife, who received one of the $85 tickets issued by a traffic camera, and he later argued that the cameras were illegal and unconstitutional.

Stay with NEWS9 for continuing coverage.

-Renee Cardelli, NEWS9