- Maine Medicaid Expansion Vote Seen As Obamacare Referendum Associated Press by Marina Villeneuve — The roiling national debate over the government's proper role in health care is coming to a head in a state more commonly known for moose, lobster, and L.L. Bean. On Nov. 7, voters in Maine will decide whether to join 31 other states and expand Medicaid under former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. It is the first time since the law took effect nearly four years ago that the expansion question has been put to voters. The ballot measure comes after Maine's Republican governor vetoed five attempts by the politically divided Legislature to expand the program and take advantage of the federal government picking up most of the cost.