Anti-Red Light Camera Candidate Blocked in St. Petersburg Council Election

An outspoken opponent of red-light cameras lost his bid for a St. Petersburg City Council seat on Tuesday. But the fight goes on.

Brent Hatley, a self-profession libertarian, vowed to do everything I can to make sure red light cameras are not a permanent fixture" as he sought to unseat Bill Dudley.

Dudley was among the council members who voted to award an $8.8 million red-light contract in the city.

Hatley's defeat -- a lopsided 69-31 percent loss -- may be an indication that public sentiment is firming up in favor of the cameras. Then again, maybe not.

Dudley's superior campaign organization and use of mail-in ballots, which accounted for up to 10 percent of the total, may have had more bearing on his electoral success than any of his policy positions.

"I wouldn't call it a victory for red-light cameras. The public's opposition to them is extremely high," said Adrian Wylie, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Florida.

Either way, the ongoing battle over the cameras appears to be heading back to Tallahassee. Legislation reportedly is in the works to curb the state's ability to prosecute red-light citations.

Stay tuned.