Incumbent District 7 Councillor Chuck Turner and his challenger, Carlos Henriquez, missed the deadline for campaign finance reports that were due into the city clerk’s office by the end of Monday. Tardy filers could be subject to a fine of $10 for each day a report is late.

Turner instead turned in a brief letter addressed to the city clerk, Rosaria Salerno: “Due to increased reporting requirements, our campaign finance report for 2009 will be turned in on September 21,” he wrote.

The letter did not detail what requirements he mentioned. Turner told the Reporter that the requirements included information on reimbursements that had previously been optional. Turner, who could not be reached for comment, also turned in his 2008 report late, saying his wife, who doubles as his treasurer, was sick.

Turner noted that the federal prosecutors, who have charged him with corruption, have gone through the last five years of his finance records and found nothing irregular. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A Sept. 22 preliminary will narrow the field of four candidates to two for the Nov. 3 general election.

Henriquez told the Reporter his campaign treasurer had been out of town over the weekend. He said he planned to file the report “first thing” Wednesday morning.

Perennial candidates Althea Garrison and Roy Owens, who are also running against Turner, and individuals running in other municipal races turned their reports in on time.

Garrison raised and spent $3,426, having given herself a $3,426 loan. Much of the money was spent on ads in the Bay State Banner, political letters, two banners, flyers, posters, and mailings.

According to his report, Owens had not raised or spent any money in the race.