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Who is the highest ranking elected official in North Carolina that nobody knows? The award goes to Beth Wood, the state auditor. 

A National Research poll commissioned by the Civitas Institute looks at voter's thoughts on the nine elected Council of State officials and found only two -- Attorney General Roy Cooper and Secretary of State Elaine Marshall -- who were known by more than half the voters.

Wood topped the "never heard of" list (75 percent of voters), followed closely by State Treasurer Janet Cowell (74 percent), Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin (73 percent) and Superintendent of Education June Atkinson (61 percent).

Among Council of State officials, voters had the most favorable opinions of Cooper (30 percent), Marshall (29 percent), Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler (21 percent) and Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry (21 percent).

Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton won the curious designation as the top elected official who voters knew but didn't know how they felt about (54 percent).

The Council of State members can drop the "elect" now.

In order of the creation of their offices, the nine statewide elected officials took their oaths of office: Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, Attorney General Roy Cooper, Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson, Treasurer Janet Cowell, Auditor Beth Wood, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton.

Here's a takeaway from Illinois: Lieutenant governors matter.

Sometimes.

As Gov. Rod Blagojevich faces corruption charges and possible impeachment, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn stands to become the chief executive of the Land of Lincoln.

To the east, former New York Lt. Gov. David Paterson now heads the Empire State. In Arizona, Secretary of State Jan Brewer may replace Gov. Janet Napolitano, who has been nominated for U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security. (The state has no lieutenant governor.)

In Arkansas, Bill Clinton's election as president bumped up Lt. Gov. Jim Guy Tucker, whose later conviction made Lt. Gov. Mike Huckabee governor.

In North Carolina, the lieutenant governor's office has little power. It has the smallest budget of any Council of State or Cabinet office, the smallest staff and the fewest responsibilities.

With the blessing of Gov. Mike Easley and Senate leader Marc Basnight, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue built up a decent portfolio on military and health issues, but none of those perks came with the office. Her only vote was to break a tie on the state lottery.

In recent years, the office has been seen as a placeholder for a future gubernatorial run, although until Perdue that hadn't been a very good strategy.

But history has a way of following its own path, and sometimes the No. 2 — soon-to-be Walter Dalton — becomes a very important person overnight.

Four co-chairs have been named for the inaugural ball.

Paragon Commercial Bank vice president Virginia G. Parker, Rhonda Beatty, Carol Wagoner and Pat Wilkins will be in charge of the ball, hosted by the Junior League of Raleigh.

The ball will be held on Jan. 8-9 in Raleigh. It will honor Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue, Lt. Gov.-elect Walter Dalton and other members of the Council of State.

"I am especially excited to be serving in this capacity as we welcome North Carolina’s first woman governor and a Council of State composed of a female majority," Parker said in a statement.

The Junior League has hosted the inaugural ball since 1933, the only Junior League in the country to do so. More than 400 volunteers will contribute approximately 21,000 hours to plan the event.

Receptions, a "Rock the Ball" event for twentysomethings and galas are planned.

Which Senate Democrats are in Republican-leaning districts?

According to the N.C. Partisan Index, seven Democratic senators are in districts that lean Republican. No Republicans are in Democratic-leaning Senate districts.

The index was created this year by the conservative Civitas Institute, using results from the 2004 elections. Ratings were based on how the district voted in Council of State races when compared to state as a whole.

The blue fish swimming in red ponds are all on the N.C. Senate Republican Committee's wish list.

Below, the senators and their district ratings, from most Republican to least:

Sen. David Hoyle (R+11). Sen. Steve Goss (R+8). Sen. Joe Sam Queen (R+6). Sen. John Snow (R+6). Sen. Walter Dalton (R+3). Sen. Julia Boseman (R+2). Sen. Tony Foriest (R+2).