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This years elections to determine who represents you in the New Jersey Legislature saw the lowest amount of spending in a decade for state legislative races, a new report shows.

And while Democrats shelled out three times as much cash, Republicans ended up gaining seats for the first time in 10 years.

Candidates and outside groups spent nearly $25 million on the races, the lowest price tag on a legislative election since 2009, according to preliminary numbers released Tuesday by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.

On the ballot were a special state Senate seat in South Jerseys 1st District and all 80 seats in the state Assembly.

Its a significant decrease from 2017s pricey legislative election the most expensive in the states history which saw a total of more than $67 million in spending, according to ELEC. That year featured all 120 legislative seats, including the entire Senate, in which the chambers president, Stephen Sweeney, fought to keep his seat. And it was a gubernatorial election year.

But this years races were more low-key, with the Assembly, the Legislatures lower house, topping the ticket.

Outside groups funneled in more than $5.8 million, down from $23 million in 2017 and about half of what was spent in 2015 at $10.9 million, ELEC reported.

Nearly half of that came from General Majority PAC, a political group tied to Democrats, which spent about $2.7 million, according to ELEC. Democratic power broker George Norcross has significant ties to its backers and the candidates it supports. It was also a top spender in 2017, 2015 and 2013, ELEC determined.

This years election was the most low-key legislative race in a decade, said Jeff Brindle, ELECs executive director. It followed one of the most controversial, expensive legislative races in history in 2017. Maybe campaign donors needed a break.

He noted that parties and independent groups may be saving their money for next years presidential election and campaigns to fill 12 state congressional seats.

Democrats spending blew other parties out of the water at more than $4 million. Republicans spent less than $1 million, and a mere $800,000 came from other party affiliations, according to ELEC.

Still, Democrats lost three legislative seats the Senate seat and both Assembly seats in the 1st District. But they will still hold sizable control both chambers come January, when the new lawmakers are sworn in.

Swing districts that can go to either party saw the most spending, and more than 60 percent of spending went to the top ten districts. More than $2 million was poured into each of the 1st, 21st and 8th legislative district races.

Nearly $3 million went into South Jerseys 1st district, which flipped its Senate seat from blue to red when Republican Mike Testa defeated Democratic incumbent Bob Andrzejczak. The election was to fill the seat vacated by Democrat Jeff Van Drew, who moved up to the U.S. House of Representatives last year.

North Jerseys 21st district had the second-largest amount at $2.7 million, where Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick fended off Democratic and independent challengers. It was the most expensive Assembly-only election, according to ELEC.

And the 8th district held onto by incumbent Republican Ryan Peters and his new running mate, former Burlington County Sheriff Jean Stanfield saw $2.1 million in spending.

The races in the 8th and 21st districts ranked as the fifth and tenth most expensive Assembly-only elections respectively, in state history, based on numbers adjusted for inflation, ELEC reported.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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N.J. Dems spent 3 times more than Republicans on state elections. But they lost seats. - NJ.com