Backers of initiative prohibiting traffic cameras fall short

Organizers of an initiative campaign to prohibit the use of cameras for traffic enforcement in Arizona have fallen short of collecting enough signatures.

Initiative campaign chairman Shawn Dow says they collected 120,000 voter signatures — about 34,000 short of the number needed.

The organizers had indicated before Thursday’s announcement on the deadline day to file that they did plan to submit petitions to the Secretary of State’s Office.

Backers needed to submit 153,365 voter signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot.

The campaign went forward despite Gov. Jan Brewer’s decision not to renew a contract for the state’s 2-year-old speed camera program.

Some local governments also use cameras triggered by radar or other sensors to ticket speeders and red-light runners.