Alabama and Obamacare. Not a likely fit, you say?

The governor rejects Medicaid expansion. Political candidates run against the reform called the Affordable Care Act.

But quietly -- at churches, barbershops, festivals, charity races and libraries, wherever people may gather -- people are signing up.

Alabama, in fact. is exceeding expectations, according Caroline Pearson, vice president at Avalere Health, a health care consulting company.

Alabama's total enrollment of 55,000 people, through February, is 72 percent of the company's projection. That may not sound like much but that puts them at No. 16 in the nation as far as the projections go.

And that's in a state which has officially rejected the health insurance reform, said Jim Carnes with Alabama Arise, an advocacy group for the poor.

"You have to bear in mind that this is taking place in an atmosphere officially silent on the issue," Carnes said. "There is no state involvement whatsoever. ... I think the Alabama numbers are even more impresssive given the obstacles."

Open enrollment ends March 31, and unless you qualify for one of a number of exemptions, you will face a penalty without insurance.

Beyond the 55,000 who have enrolled in Alabama, Carnes says federal numbers show another 80,000 people in Alabama have been determined eligible after having gone through the registration process.

"Many are just waiting to make a decision," he said of those eligibles. "And with the young people? I think a lot are waiting to make a decision."

A key to the success, according to Carnes, is Bama Covered, a 600-strong force of college student volunteers from 20 four-year campuses and 32 community colleges. Joined with other volunteer groups such as Enroll Alabama, Bama Covered is making an impact, Carnes said.

They are fantastic," Carnes said of Bama Covered. "They are focused, not primarily on student enrollment, but student engagement in the process, and I think a byproduct is going to be strong showing for the state of Alabama."

Bama Covered Co-founder Josh Carpenter, a Rhodes Scholar from Florence, said students are at churches, small businesses, the YMCA and other live events every day somewhere in the state.

Initially Carpenter set out a goal to enlist 1,000 student volunteers.

"We are focusing less on building volunteers and more on mobilizing ones we have effectively," he said.

Wednesday morning UAB students Ashleigh Staples, 20, Kevin Shrestha, 21, and Joseph Thornton, 18, set up a table at Festival Head Start on Crestwood Boulevard in Birmingham.

In under two hours, the trio had signed up 17 people to get one-on-one help to enroll. And for every one of those signatures about a half dozen more pamphlets were passed out to many who said they were uninsured and wanted more information.

Like Jasmine Sanders, 25, of Birmingham.

She's uninsured but has had trouble navigating the website to see how much health insurance might cost her.

She wanted help and signed up with Staples to set an appointment for help getting through the online registration to see what plans, at what costs may be available for her.

At events ranging from Head Start to the Mercedes Marathon, Staples has experienced a lot of reactions.

"Some think Obamacare is a plan that we are trying to sell them," said Staples, who is Bama Covered's team captain for the UAB campus. "Others think that Alabama has opted out so they don't have to worry about a penalty for not having insurance. Most just don't know their options."