Among all the conservative politicians at the N.C. General Assembly, it appears none are conservative enough to suit Civitas Action.

The non-profit voter education group, with has ties to the conservative John William Pope Civitas Institute, released its Conservative Effectiveness Rankings for the 2009 legislative session on Monday.

Rep. Dale Folwell, a Forsyth County Republican, snagged the title of the most conservative member of the N.C. House, with a 89.8 score on the 100-point scale developed by Civitas Action. At the other end of the spectrum, Speaker Joe Hackney, a Democrat from Orange County, was awarded a score of 0.

In the state Senate, Davie County Republican Sen. Andrew Brock was rated as the body's most conservative member, with a score of 79. Three Democrats, Sens. Ellie Kinnaird of Orange, Katie Dorsett of Guilford and Martin Nesbitt of Buncombe were all scored at the bottom, tying at 2.1 on the group's scale.

Civitas Action's scale is based on the elected officials' votes on bills and amendments the group identified as demonstrative of commitment to conservative ideals as "derived from free-market economic policies, limited government, personal responsibility and civic engagement," according to the group's web site.

By that measure, the most conservative member of the state House got the equivalent of a B+, whole the most conservative senator got a C+.

UPDATE: Bill Holmes, spokesman for Speaker Hackney, points out that the Democratic leader didn't vote on 49 of the 50 bills Civitas Action graded. The speaker typically only votes to break a tie or at other points where his support is determinative, Holmes said. Sen. Vernon Malone, who died in April, also got a 0 score from the group due to his being "absent" when many of the bills came up.  

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A Senate bill would let North Carolina drop out of the Electoral College.

Under the legislation, the state would sign a multi-state pact to award all of its electors to the winner of the popular vote nationally. So far, only Maryland has approved the pact.

Under the system, Al Gore would have been elected president in 2000.

The pact is being pushed by the California-based National Popular Vote group as an end run around the need for a constitutional amendment, which would likely be blocked by smaller states that are disproportionately powerful under the current system.

A similar push for direct election of senators in the early 1900s required a constitutional amendment.

The bill is sponsored by Democratic Sens. Daniel Clodfelter of Charlotte, Katie Dorsett of Guilford County and Eleanor Kinnaird of Carrboro.

Some statewide candidates could qualify for publicly financed campaigns under proposed legislation.

A Senate bill would help fund all Council of State races except governor and lieutenant governor. A House bill is more of a pilot, funding races for state auditor, insurance commissioner and superintendent of public instruction.

Here's how it works:

Candidates would have to refuse contributions from big-money donors and political action committees. If they could show public support — between $25,000 and $200,000 in small donations and a primary win — they would qualify for several hundred thousand dollars for the general election.

The bills differ on how much money, how to pay for it and when it would start.

The House uses the average of the last three winners' war chests and pays for it with the general fund, starting in 2008. The Senate calls for the median of both candidates' campaigns in the past two races and uses various agency fees to pay for it, starting in 2012.

Chris Heagarty, executive director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education, said that the pilot program faced less resistance from current elected officials.

Co-sponsors of the two bills include Orange Sen. Eleanor Kinnaird, Wake Sen. Janet Cowell, Chatham Sen. Bob Atwater, Durham Rep. Paul Luebke and Wake Reps. Deborah Ross, Grier Martin and Linda Coleman.