KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The effort to recall 4th District Kansas City Councilman Eric Bunch was dealt a blow Tuesday, when the group organizing the recall failed to collect enough valid signatures.

The Kansas City Clerk’s Office tells FOX4 that 1,730 valid signatures were collected out of the 2,637 needed to put the issue on the ballot.

The group will now have until Sept. 9 to come up with the remaining valid signatures.

Kansas City Election Board reviewing petition signatures to recall council member

Shannon Bjornlie is part of the Take KC Back political action committee, which is working on the recall effort.

In an earlier interview, she told FOX4 that the group is unhappy with Bunch’s May vote to reallocate about $42 million KCPD budget to a separate fund emphasizing social services, mental health programs and more.

“We see it as defunding because there’s no plan,” Bjornlie said. “The money doesn’t say specifically that it has to go back to the police department.”

In a previous thread of tweets Bunch previously called the KCPD reallocation, “A vote I still stand firmly behind.” Bunch added, “You and your local officials can ensure that KCPD uses your tax dollars as intended — at least for a portion of their budget.  Gone are the days of writing a blank check to the governor-appointed police commission.”