Democratic candidate Martha Coakley was the easy winner on the Vineyard during the statewide primary on Tuesday to choose candidates to replace longtime Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who held the seat for 46 years before he died in August.

Ms. Coakley, the current Massachusetts Attorney General and former district attorney for Middlesex County, received 1,488 votes on the Island, besting her nearest challenger, Michael Capuano, by an almost two-to-one margin. Mr. Capuano, who represents the 8th district of Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives, received 592 votes Islandwide.

Ms. Coakley will face Republican Scott Brown in the Jan. 19 special election. Mr. Brown defeated Jack E. Robinson 3rd on the GOP primary ticket.

Democratic challenger Alan Khazei had a strong showing on the Vineyard with 532 votes, while Stephen Pagliuca was a distant fourth with 243 votes.

Across the state, Ms. Coakley received 310,827 or 47 per cent of the vote; Mr. Capuano received 184,791 or 28 per cent; Mr. Khazei received 88,924 or 13 per cent, and Mr. Pagliuca received 88,248 or 12 per cent.

Ms. Coakley and Mr. Brown won all six Island towns on their respective tickets. Ms. Coakley captured 368 votes in Oak Bluffs, 415 in Tisbury, 247 in West Tisbury, 123 in Chilmark, 295 in Edgartown and 39 in Aquinnah. Mr. Brown received 95 votes in Oak Bluffs, 53 in West Tisbury, two in Aquinnah, 88 in Edgartown; six in Chilmark and 136 in Tisbury.

At press time all the election counts were still unofficial.