A referendum vote asking whether tobacco growers wanted to keep giving a portion of their sales to tobacco research and education had no trouble finding support this fall. 

As of Nov. 20, 67 of the 83 North Carolina counties affected had reported their results, yielding a passing rate of 95.1 percent. 

Since 1991, the tobacco research checkoff program has allocated about $300,000 annually to tobacco-related research and extension projects at N.C. State University. Growers pay 10 cents per 100 pounds of flue-cured and burley tobacco sold. 

State law requires a referendum on whether to continue the assessment be held every six years. The assessment requires a two-thirds majority to pass, which this vote seems to have achieved. The decision will be effective through December 2021.