California

in terms of what is up for a vote because it is just the one issue in this special election, but the actual ballots are not the same between counties. Just as yours says Solano County on it mine says something different, and they might not even use the same optical machines/ballots in various counties, I really don't know.

The envelope I got had an instruction sheet (which included an "I voted" sticker peel-off), a sample ballot, an official ballot, an info guide, and the return envelope.

Off the top of my head, I do not recall if the sample ballot (which I do recall said SAMPLE BALLOT SAMPLE BALLOT down the sides) also said official ballot on the top, or not, as part of its mimicry. And it has long since gone in the recycling so I cannot check.

But it sounds like you didn't get a real ballot. That is fucked up.