COLUMBUS, Ohio — The state is appealing a federal court ruling allowing Ohio’s minor political parties to hold primary elections this May, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's office.

District Court Judge Michael Watson granted a preliminary injunction earlier this week blocking enforcement of a new ballot-access law signed into law last November. The state filed an appeal on Friday asking the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider Watson's ruling.

The Republican-backed law, Senate Bill 193, strips the state’s four minor parties of official recognition and requires them to gather 28,000 signatures by July to regain their status in time for the November general election.

Supporters of the new law say it’s needed after a 2006 court ruling found the state's previous standards for minor parties to be unconstitutionally restrictive. Since then, the Ohio Secretary of State's office has issued annual directives recognizing the Libertarian Party of Ohio, the Ohio Green Party, the Constitution Party, and the Socialist Party of Ohio.

But the Libertarians, joined by the state Green and Constitution parties, are challenging the new law’s constitutionality. Libertarian officials have said the changes are designed to help Republican incumbent Gov. John Kasich by sabotaging the candidacy of their gubernatorial candidate, former state Rep. Charlie Earl.