DADE CITY -- The call from Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning came in at 7:07 p.m.

He was calling to congratulate his successor, Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley, as Pasco County once again was the first county to get elections results to the Florida Division of Elections.

Pasco edged Orange County by three whole minutes. That was early voting and absentee results. Corley was appointed to replace Browning in 2007.

"The baton was handed off," Corley said, "I had to keep running with it."

-- Jamal Thalji, Times Staff Writer