Supporters of raising North Dakota's beer tax have fallen short of their goal to put an initiative on the statewide ballot.

The measure sought to use revenues from an increased beer tax, which added about 1 cent to the cost of a 12-ounce can of beer, for programs to discourage alcohol and drug abuse among young people. Its supporters estimated the tax increase would raise $1.3 million annually.

It needed signatures from at least 12,844 North Dakota voters by midnight Tuesday. Secretary of State Al Jaeger said Tuesday he had been told organizers had gathered only about 10,000 signatures, and would not be turning in their petitions before the deadline.

To continue the effort, supporters of the beer tax initiative will have to get approval for a new petition and begin gathering signatures from scratch, Jaeger said.

North Dakota assesses a tax of 8 cents per gallon on keg beer, and 16 cents per gallon for beer sold in bottles and cans. The initiative sought to raise the keg-beer tax to 16 cents a gallon, and the tax on canned and bottled beer to 24 cents a gallon.

As it was first drafted, the proposal increased the cost of a 12-ounce beer by about a penny.