Voters Narrowly Reject California's Prop 29 Tobacco Tax: AP

The proposal would have imposed a $1-per-pack cigarette tax

After results remained too closed to call for more than two weeks, voters have narrowly rejected a ballot measure to impose a new tax on tobacco to pay for cancer research, the Associated Press reported Friday.

The measure, Proposition 29, failed by 50.3 percent to 49.7 with about 5 million votes cast, The Associated Press determined Friday.

The measure was losing by about 27,000 votes with 150,000 ballots remaining to be counted -- too few for the "yes" side to pull ahead, according to the AP's projections.

It's the closest tally for a California ballot measure in state history.

The final numbers will likely change
between now and July 13, when elections results are scheduled to be certified, according to the Secretary of State's office. The offiice told NBC4 some counties are still counting results.

The measure, part of the June 5 statewide election ballot, proposed a $1-per-pack cigarette tax. Supporters included Tour de France cycling champion Lance Armstrong.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation and the American Lung Association of California, another supporter of Prop 29, conceded defeat.

The revenue would have been used to fund cancer research.

Opponents raised $47 million to fight the measure.

Since June 5, the measure has generally trailed by less than 1 percentage point.

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