SANDPOINT — If you don't have a stamp on your ballot, don't worry — it will still make it to the Bonner County Elections office.

"The post office will deliver the ballots, stamp or no stamp," Bonner County Clerk Michael Rosedale said. "They'll just send us a bill when it's all said and done. But that is something they committed to a while ago, and we called the verify. So there's definitely no worry there."

The confusion stemmed from potentially conflicting directions included in some absentee ballots, with one area indicating postage was required and another indicating that postage was prepared by Bonner County Elections.

While an instruction sheet included with some absentee ballots advised postage was required, the envelope included to return completed ballots indicated no postage was necessary and that postage had been prepaid by the county.

The older stock was inadvertently mixed in with the office's envelope supply, prompting at least one person to email Rosedale asking for clarity.

Rosedale said that after they were alerted to the old envelopes, they sorted through its stock and pulled the ones telling voters to add postage. In addition, the county clerk said officials reached out to the post office, which confirmed all absentee ballots would be delivered whether they had postage included or not.

With the election just over three weeks away, Rosedale encouraged voters to complete — and submit — their ballots early if voting absentee.

"Regardless of which envelope you have, send it in right away so you don't push the post office to the wire at the very end," Rosedale said. "If you know how you're going to vote, vote right away and get it in."

And if residents don't want to drop it in the mail, Rosedale said they can drop off their completed ballots at the Bonner County Admin Building, 1500 U.S. 2.

The deadline to preregister to vote is Friday, April 21, and early voting begins May 1. The last day to request an absentee ballot is May 5; the request can either be made in person at the elections office or online at the Secretary of State's website.

"Each year you have to send in a new request for an absentee ballot," Rosedale said. "They're only good for one year."

Depending on the election, the county can receive anywhere from a thousand or so absentee ballots or many times that, such as in the 2020 election which saw almost 14,000 people in the county vote absentee.

Typically of the absentee ballots requested, Rosedale said the county gets back 70-80% of those. If voters change their mind about voting absentee, they can bring the ballot into their polling place or to the Elections Office to have it voided.

Rosedale said the county's system is set up to ensure security and safety protocols.

"Our system is incapable of counting [a ballot] that it didn't issue," the county clerk said.

What happened with the curious voter? Rosedale was so impressed by the resident's attention to detail he invited her to consider helping out as a poll worker.

"On a separate note, I am very impressed that you actually pay attention to detail," he wrote the woman in a reply to her email. "Have you ever thought about helping out with elections as a poll worker? We're always looking for sharp people. Seriously."