Ocean County saw the largest drop in unaffiliated voters in the state during New Jersey’s June 10 primary election, as thousands of previously unaffiliated voters declared party affiliations to cast ballots — with the majority choosing to vote in the Democratic primary.

Statewide, the number of unaffiliated voters dropped by approximately 117,000, with the vast majority of those doing so to participate in the primaries, with more than two-thirds opting for the Democratic ballot.

But Ocean County, home to the most registered Republicans in the state, stood out, recording the largest decrease in unaffiliated voters of any county, with 14,000 voters switching their registration, according to newly released voter data.

Of those, Ocean gained more than 8,200 Democrats and 7,200 Republicans.

The shift is especially notable given Ocean County’s status as one of New Jersey’s most Republican-leaning counties.

The surge in Democratic primary participation led some pundits to assume the shift suggests a growing willingness among independents to engage with Democratic contests — even in Republican strongholds.

However, it should be noted that the shift does not necessarily signal a broader ideological shift toward the Democratic Party among Ocean County voters. Instead, many unaffiliated voters switched party affiliation specifically to vote for Rep. Josh Gottheimer in a high-profile Democratic congressional primary.

Gottheimer’s candidacy drew unusually high interest among Orthodox Jews in the county and around the state, including from independent voters.

Additionally, many unaffiliated voters also chose to vote in the Democratic primary in support of Assemblyman Avi Schnall (D-Lakewood), who is seeking re-election to the New Jersey General Assembly in November.