Following the decision by Seattle's Democrat-controlled City Council to increase the city's minimum wage to $15 an hour last month, several Seattle businesses banded together to repeal the newly enacted law.

The coalition Forward Seattle, which represents various types of city businesses, including merchants and restaurants, gathered about 19,500 signatures in a petition submitted to City Hall on Wednesday. The supporters signed the petition in an effort to bring the $15-an-hour wage issue to a citywide vote during the November elections, Fox News reported.

Only 16,510 signatures were needed for submission. The signatures are to be sent to the King County election office for a final verification after city officials complete a preliminary count, which is expected to be done as early as Monday.

But Forward Seattle Co-Chair Angela Cough told Fox the coalition is facing allegations of fraud from several groups that are much more well-funded and intend to preserve the wage increase. Cough added that some of the members of the group have been put in a negative light by people online who have called for boycotts and posted negative comments on the businesses' Yelp pages.

"This is a principle-based fight for me," Cough said. "But others are simply too scared."

Forward Seattle opponents say the group got some of its signatures by misleading supporters by telling them the referendum would increase the wage rate or the measure wasn't a law yet.

Cough said the signature count would be very close because the typical margin of error could reduce the number of signatures by 3,000, Fox reported.

"We'll keep a list of every challenged signature and fight," she said. "It's going to be very, very close."

Cough also said the group does not oppose a hike in the minimum wage but only objected to how the law was passed in the city.

Seattle's new law, which was approved by Democratic Mayor Ed Murray, marks the largest rate of increase -- 60 percent, from $9.25 -- in the struggle by Democratic lawmakers who have been trying to raise minimum wages and bridge the income-inequality gap, according to Fox.

Under the law, Seattle's wage won't increase overnight but will be phased in over the next several years, depending on business size. Businesses that have fewer than 500 employees will have to raise their minimum wage over the next seven year, while larger companies have to do it within three years, or four if health insurance is offered, according to Reuters.

Many critics of the minimum wage hikes argue that such increases would hurt businesses, resulting in closures, relocation or slowed growth.