Councilman Mike Woodard, the District 22 state Senator-elect, formally resigned his Ward 3 seat at Thursday’s council work session, effective Dec. 31.

With a year left on his term, it is up to the remaining members to elect his successor.

Current Durham County Commissioner Pam Karriker, former Planning Commission Chairman Don Moffitt and Downtown Durham Inc. CEO Bill Kalkhof were mentioned as possible candidates last week. Karriker and Moffitt said they are interested; Kalkhof said he is not, but might run for a council seat in the future.

Whoever the council chooses must live in Woodard’s Ward 3, covering roughly the western third of the city. That person would be a natural candidate for election to a full term in 2013.

“We want the best person,” said Councilman Eugene Brown. “It’s an important seat.”

Woodard is chairman of the Joint City-County Planning Committee, sits on several other council committees and is council liaison to the DDI and Durham Arts Council boards and several city and county commissions.

Karriker, who ran unsuccessfully for the Ward 3 seat in 2005, said several people have approached her about applying to succeed Woodard.

“I’m thinking about it,” she said. “I haven’t made a decision.”

When County Commissioner Becky Heron retired in 2011, the Board of County Commissioners elected Karriker to serve out her term. That term ends Dec. 3.

Moffitt, a business consultant and project manager for the proposed Durham Urban Market, said he is “very interested” in Woodard’s seat, and in running for a full four-year term next year.

“Whoever is appointed to the seat should be accountable to the voters,” he said.

Moffitt ran unsuccessfully for the county board in 2008. His campaign committee has remained active, and showed a bank balance of $1,425 on its 2012 midyear finance report.