U.S. Postal Service workers in Lawrence are starting to notice several mail-in advance ballots do not have enough postage.

The ballots in the large brown envelopes require $1 worth of postage, although about a quarter of those going through the downtown Lawrence post office either have no postage at all or only two stamps, 84 cents, said Lawrence Postmaster Judy Raney.

But postal workers are required to send the ballots anyway. The taxpayer-funded county clerk’s office must cover the rest of the cost.

Douglas County Clerk Jamie Shew said his staff has seen several ballots with only 84 cents in postage on them. Shew budgets for the expense, which can be in the “thousands of dollars,” he said.

Raney said if voters have questions about their mail-in advance ballots before the Nov. 4 election, they can get their envelopes weighed at any area post office.

Voters have until 5 p.m. Oct. 31 to request a mail-in advance ballot from the clerk’s office at this site. The election office must receive the ballot before 7 p.m. on Nov. 4.