MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WPDE, AP) -- South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has signed into the law a U.S. House redistricting plan that creates a new 7th District.
Haley signed the bill Monday morning in Myrtle Beach.
"We're here today, and not anywhere else," said Haley, "because the Pee Dee said the seventh belongs to us and not anywhere else."
The new congressional district is anchored in Horry County in the state's northeastern corner.
Haley's signature does not make the proposal final. It still faces a review by the U.S. Justice Department, which must decide whether it meets federal voting rights standards.
"We didn't have a whole lot of dust up when it came to redistricting," said Haley. "We had some areas that wanted it more than others. I think in the end we are going to have a state that has great representation."
Redistricting is required every decade to make sure district lines reflect population changes.
This is the first time since the 1930's South Carolina will have a seventh Congressional seat in Washington D.C. The additional seat comes after the 2010 Census showed a population increase in South Carolina.Republicans expect they'll be able to win the new seat in 2012. Republicans already hold five of the state's six U.S. House seats.
The seventh Congressional District lines will be used for the June 2012 elections.
(WPDE, CarolinaLive.com and The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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