Jackson County Democratic voters re-elected incumbent Joe Cowan as county commissioner in the District 3 race.

Cowan defeated challengers Darrel Fox and Brandon Stephens. He received 42 percent of the votes.

“I felt all this time that the people of this county are smart people and they know how to think,” he said.

He has been a commissioner for six years and represents voters in Cullowhee and Webster area. Since there are no Republican challengers his victory Tuesday means he’ll serve another four-year term.

Caroline Diamond, vice president of Jackson County Women Voters and a property manager, voted for Cowan on Tuesday because of his stance on the county’s land-use plan.

Cowan was criticized by his challengers because he voted in favor of adopting the county’s steep slope and subdivision ordinances. To give the county time to write the ordinance, commissioners passed a temporary moratorium on new developments. That moratorium and the subsequent land-use plan were both controversial.

Cowan says the county’s land-use ordinances were the best pieces of regulations the county ever passed.

“We need to keep on doing what we are doing,” he said.

“The way they handled their land-use ordinances they showed a great deal of courage,” Diamond said.

Fox was the second highest voter-getter with 32 percent.

Elizabeth McCory of Sylva casted her vote for Fox because of his community involvement.

“He’s an absolutely outstanding man,” she said. “He is very active in community service and is a person that is right for this county.”

Fox was defeated by Cowan by just 21 votes in the last election. He says that he enjoys running for political office and wants to serve the people of Jackson County.

“I love the campaign,” he said.

Even though Fox lost to Cowan again, he says he will support him as a commissioner.

“Joe has never done me wrong,” he said. “I’ll back him 100 percent.”