🗳 Races to watch

😋 Happy Monday! Today is National Snack Stick Day. Snap 'em if you got 'em.

• ☁️ Today's weather: High of 69℉ and partly sunny. Aka kinda perfect. 😎

🗳️ Situational awareness: Early voting starts in Illinois this week, so we are previewing some of the big races in our area.

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Chicago members Jennifer Rommel and Michelle Richmond!

Today's newsletter is 973 words — a 3-minute read.

Every Illinois congressional seat is up for election this year, but some are more competitive than others.

The big picture: In 2021, the Democratic majority in Springfield redrew the congressional districts, much to the chagrin of state Republicans. The map favors incumbent Democrats, who already hold 14 of the 17 seats.

Here are races to watch:

17th District: Eric Sorensen (D) is serving his first term in Congress after Rep. Cheri Bustos resigned in 2022. The Rockford native has been targeted by national Republicans, who believe they can win in the northern Illinois district.

• Sorensen's Republican opponent, Joe McGraw, is a retired judge and prosecutor who is running on a public safety platform.
• Analysts say this is the only competitive race in Illinois, but it is leaning Democrat.

6th District: Rep. Sean Casten (D) benefited greatly from the redrawn maps, as he previously faced intense opposition from Republicans for the suburban seat once held by Republican Rep. Peter Roskam.

• This year, Republican Niki Conforti of Glen Ellyn is challenging Casten in the district that includes big suburban Democrat areas like Des Plaines, Schaumburg and Elgin.
• Although the race is expected to favor the incumbent, Conforti is making headlines siding with former President Trump on issues like immigration and crime.

11th District: Rep. Bill Foster (D) has represented the DuPage County district since 2013 and has been in Congress since 2008.

• Foster is also helped by the new map, but he represents cities like Aurora and Naperville, which voted Republican in past elections. His Republican challenger is Jerry Evans, a teacher and music school owner.

Of note: Republican Reps. Mary Miller (15th) and Darin LaHood (16th) are running unopposed.

More races to watch

The 2024 voting season officially starts Thursday when some counties will launch early voting and officials will be sending out the first mail-in ballots to voters.

• Here are important dates to remember:
• Sept. 26: The first vote-by-mail ballots will be mailed out to voters and early voting starts in some counties.
• Oct. 3: First day of early voting at the Chicago Board of Elections supersite (191 N. Clark) and CBOE Offices (69 W. Washington St.).
• Oct. 8: Last day for regular voter registration or transfer of registration.
• Oct. 9: First day of grace period/same-day registration and voting.
• Oct. 20: Last day to register to vote online on the Illinois State Board of Elections website.
• Oct. 21: First day of early voting at sites in all 50 wards.
• Oct. 31: Last day to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot.
• Nov. 4: Last day of early voting.
• Nov. 5: Election Day.

Read our full election guide here

🐻 The Bears lost yesterday to the Colts 21-16. QB Caleb Williams threw 263 yards but also had three turnovers, including a fourth quarter fumble that allowed the Colts to push a 12-point lead the error-laden Bears could never catch. (Tribune)

✏️ Mayor Brandon Johnson wants CPS head Pedro Martinez to resign, but the district CEO is waiting to hear what the Chicago Board of Education decides, sources told WBEZ and the Sun-Times. The school board, not the mayor, has the authority to remove Martinez.

🍸 Tavern on Rush is expected to reopen later this month at the Thompson Hotel in the Gold Coast after being closed for two years. (Block Club)

Uber unveiled new features designed to help make the driver and courier experience safer, fairer and easier.

• An example: The national expansion of enhanced rider verification lets drivers know more about who's getting into their car.

The result: An experience drivers only find with Uber.

Learn more.

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Chicago Gourmet, one of the city's biggest fancy food fests, kicks off its 17th year this weekend with chef-studded foodie events around the city.

The big picture: Once known for its grand food and wine tastings and demonstrations on the Millennium Park lawn, the event has morphed into a series of parties and tastings with top local and national chefs.

State of play: While some fan favorites — like Hamburger Hop and Tacos & Tequila — are already sold out, tickets remain for some for intriguing new events including:

• House of Gourmet Italian five-course dinner by chefs including Mario Rizzotti, Tony Priolo and others, paired with wines and a fashion week preview show at the Chicago History Museum on Wednesday at 6pm. $225
• Chefs Get Pickled, featuring food and drink from chef Art Smith, Jeff Mauro, Kevin Hickey, Christine Cikowski, Josh Kulp and Djibril Webb, along with music and a chef pickleball tourney at SPF Pickleball in Lincoln Park Saturday at 7pm. $99
• Rise and Shine Gourmet with sweet and savory bites from chefs Art Smith, Lorena Garcia and Jernard Wells, plus cocktails, a DJ and larger than life Aperol spritz on the roof of the Harris Theater Sunday at 10am. $105.

Flexible work just got better for over 7 million people.

Here's why: Uber's new features are designed to help make the driver and courier experience safer, fairer and easier.

• One feature, Record My Ride, allows drivers to record trips with their smartphone instead of investing in a dashcam.

Edited by Lindsey Erdody.

🖼 Carrie is interested in seeing artist Jennifer Cronin's "Star Stuff" exhibition at Elephant Room Gallery in Printer's Row.

🍕 Monica would be trying free food from 20 Chicago restaurants on Daley Plaza tomorrow afternoon as part of the Grub Hub Feastival if she was in town.

🎸 Justin thinks his Chicago rock quiz may have been too hard. Sorry, not sorry. Everyone needs to know their Styx history!

Want more Axios Chicago content? Check out our Instagram for extra stuff to do, behind the scenes photos, videos and more!