diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 13fbe3e..792f7d9 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -139,3 +139,4 @@ TODO.txt
 sql_tester.py
 conf
 outputs
+dakiny.db
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/classes/election_cycle.py b/classes/election_cycle.py
index 5d4a9e8..854a86a 100644
--- a/classes/election_cycle.py
+++ b/classes/election_cycle.py
@@ -6,8 +6,10 @@ from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
 import nextcord
 from nextcord.ext import commands
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Session
 
 from config import DakinyConfig
+from database.sql_data_classes import ElectionInformation, engine
 from utils import get_datetime
 
 
@@ -105,7 +107,6 @@ class ElectionCycle:
         Function checks current date to see if something needs to be run.
         """
         today = datetime.today()
-        print("checking the date")
 
         # check all dates if action is needed
         if today.date() == self.election_start.date():
@@ -120,26 +121,26 @@ class ElectionCycle:
             await self.term_start_action()
         elif today.date() == self.term_end.date():
             await self.term_end_action()
-        else:
-            print("today was not a special date")
-            print(today)
 
     async def election_start_action(self) -> None:
         """
         Performs required actions for when the election cycle starts.
         """
-        print("election cycle has started")
         # create new channel for election
         category: nextcord.CategoryChannel = self.bot.get_channel(self.config.params.active_category_id)
-        quarter_name: str = str(datetime.today().year) + "-" + self.elecion_cycle.name + "-election"
-        # TODO need to store this id in the sqlite database
+        quarter_name: str = self.get_election_cycle_name()
+
+        # create new entry into database.
         election_channel = await category.create_text_channel(quarter_name)
+        with Session(engine) as session:
+            new_cycle = ElectionInformation(ElectionCycle=quarter_name, ElectionChannel=election_channel.id)
+            session.add(new_cycle)
+            session.commit()
 
         # post message announcing election
         # election start message is returned as an array of string because it is too long. send each string
         # individually.
         messages = self.build_election_announcement()
-
         for message in messages:
             await election_channel.send(message)
 
@@ -180,3 +181,13 @@ class ElectionCycle:
         """
         imcompiling: nextcord.User = await self.bot.fetch_user(206602713511886849)
         await imcompiling.send(msg)
+
+    def get_election_cycle_name(self) -> str:
+        """
+        Builds the unique name of the current election cycle
+
+        Returns:
+            str: the name of the election cycle
+        """
+
+        return f"{self.election_start.year} {self.elecion_cycle.name} election"
diff --git a/dakiny_bot.py b/dakiny_bot.py
index 56df5f6..1cf8a18 100644
--- a/dakiny_bot.py
+++ b/dakiny_bot.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import nextcord
 from hydra.core.config_store import ConfigStore
 from nextcord.ext import commands
 
+import database.create_database as create_database
 from config import DakinyConfig
 
 cs = ConfigStore.instance()
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ def main(cfg: DakinyConfig):
     async def on_ready():
         """When Discord is connected"""
         assert bot.user is not None
+        create_database  # pylint: disable=pointless-statement
         print(f"{bot.user.name} has connected to Discord!")
 
     # Run Discord bot
diff --git a/database/create_database.py b/database/create_database.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..427f3ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/database/create_database.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+"""
+Small script to create the database if it doesn't already exist.
+"""
+
+import sqlite3
+from os.path import exists
+
+if not exists("dakiny.db"):
+    with sqlite3.connect("dakiny.db") as con:
+        cur = con.cursor()
+
+        with open("database/database.sql", mode="r", encoding="utf-8") as file:
+            database_script = file.read()
+            cur.executescript(database_script)
+            con.commit()
diff --git a/database/database.sql b/database/database.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dcb53fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/database/database.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+-- CREATE DATABASE dakiny;
+-- use dakiny;
+
+CREATE TABLE ElectionInformation(
+    ElectionCycle varchar(30) not null unique,
+    ElectionChannel bigint unsigned not null,
+    PRIMARY KEY (ElectionCycle)
+);
+
+CREATE TABLE CouncilMembers(
+    ElectionCycle varchar(30) not null unique,
+    MemberId bigint unsigned not null,
+    Elected boolean DEFAULT false,
+    HighCouncilElect boolean DEFAULT false,
+    DiscordManager boolean DEFAULT false,
+    ClanLeader boolean DEFAULT false,
+    FOREIGN KEY (ElectionCycle) REFERENCES ElectionInformation(ElectionCycle),
+    PRIMARY KEY (ElectionCycle, MemberId)
+);
+
+CREATE TABLE Votes(
+    ElectionCycle varchar(30) not null unique,
+    VoterId bigint unsigned not null,
+    VotedForId bigint unsigned not null,
+    FOREIGN KEY (ElectionCycle) REFERENCES ElectionInformation(ElectionCycle),
+    PRIMARY KEY (ElectionCycle, VoterId)
+);
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/database/sql_data_classes.py b/database/sql_data_classes.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbee89d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/database/sql_data_classes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+"""
+Simple file to set up the sqlalchemy connection to database.
+"""
+from sqlalchemy import create_engine
+from sqlalchemy.ext.automap import automap_base
+
+# connect with sql alchemy and autoload schema
+URL = "sqlite+pysqlite:///dakiny.db"
+engine = create_engine(URL)
+Base = automap_base()
+Base.prepare(autoload_with=engine)
+
+# define the classes
+ElectionInformation = Base.classes.ElectionInformation
+CouncilMembers = Base.classes.CouncilMembers
+Votes = Base.classes.Votes
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 2f6f7c1..3d5d68b 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 nextcord==2.4.2
 python-dotenv==1.0.0
 pytz==2022.7.1
-hydra-core==1.3.2
\ No newline at end of file
+hydra-core==1.3.2
+sqlalchemy<2.0
\ No newline at end of file