California election officials are warning voters that a sample ballot may be included in their vote-by-mail packets for the gubernatorial recall election. Voters should have received a voter's guide and official ballot for the Sept. 14 gubernatorial recall election. However, a sample ballot with the word "official" printed on top may have caused some to raise their eyebrows. The decision was made by county officials. EXPLAINER | How to vote in California gubernatorial recall electionAustin Erdman, the interim San Joaquin County registrar of voters, said the sample and official ballots were mailed out together in an effort to save taxpayers money from having them sent separately.For the recall election, people will have two sections they can fill out on the ballot. The first part asks voters if Gov. Gavin Newsom should be recalled. The second part asks you to choose which candidate you would want to replace Newsom if enough people vote "yes" for the first section.Even if you vote "no" to recalling Newsom, you may still vote for a candidate. What's the date for the recall election?There are three important dates to remember.Aug. 16: First day to vote by mail.Aug. 30: Last day to register to vote. You can “conditionally” register and vote at your county elections office or polling location after the voter registration deadline, up to and including Election Day.Sept. 14: Election Day. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.Can I track my ballot after I send it?Yes. Voters who return their mail ballot through the U.S. Postal Service can track it by signing up online for “Where's My Ballot?” California also uses the BallotTrax tool.--KCRA and NBC Los Angeles contributed to this report.