As lawmakers in Washington D.C. battled over health care reform legislation, voters made their way to the polls Tuesday to decide whether Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley or state Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, would fill the late Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat. In addition to the closeness of the race, health care was one of the main issues that compelled voters to brave the wintry weather and vote.

Boston physician Dr. Alexandra Vinograd said she is concerned that a loss for Coakley would prevent Congress from passing comprehensive health care legislation.’

‘[The] legislation is already handicapped in many ways from what people really dreamed it would be, but at least it exists and I think it’s a step forward,’ she said.

Vinograd said she was confident that Coakley would be an effective force in the fight for health care reform.

‘I feel like she’ll try to pass the healthcare legislation that they’re trying to put through,’ she said.

She also said the first step to fixing the nation’s economic troubles is to address the way the health care system deals with the uninsured and the underinsured.’

‘For people who are worried about money and finances, if we could have more preventative care and get people into health care earlier, we would actually save money,’ Vinograd said. ‘Plus it’s the right thing to do.’

Small business owner Natalie Payne said she came out in the snow to support Brown because polls predicted a close election.

Payne also said that health care reform is the most relevant issue for her. She said she is concerned that the proposed health care legislation will place too much financial stress on small businesses.

‘Massachusetts is the perfect example that [universal healthcare] doesn’t work,’ Payne said. ‘I think it’s a good message coming from the state that it doesn’t work.’

Voter Chris Wood said that his ballot would not be cast exclusively for where the candidates stood on health care, but rather for any issue the winner would vote on over the course of his or her time in the Senate.
‘I wanted to make sure my vote was heard,’ he said.

College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Owen Ziegler said that an important issue that influenced his decision was the experience of the two candidates.

‘I feel like [Coakley] was more responsible as attorney general than Brown was as a state Rep.,’ he said.

Social issues were key for College of General Studies sophomore Kati McKinney, who said Brown’s positions on abortion and women’s rights make him an unattractive choice, even for Republican voters. ‘

‘He is not pro-choice, not for gay marriage,’ McKinney said. ‘I don’t have a problem with Republicans, but he is very conservative.’

Before polls closed, McKinney said she was confident Coakley would win the seat, saying the usual Democratic loyalty of Massachusetts would work in Coakley’s favor. ‘

Voter Bryan Coyne said polling that showed a close race between the two candidates didn’t affect his decision to vote.

‘It’s an important election,’ Coyne said. ‘I would have voted anyway. I mean, I voted in the primary. It’s an important vote.’ ‘