diff --git a/priv/repo/migrations/20170815184450_add_vote_table.exs b/priv/repo/migrations/20170815184450_add_vote_table.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..060f42f00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/priv/repo/migrations/20170815184450_add_vote_table.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+defmodule RemoteRetro.Repo.Migrations.AddVoteTable do
+  use Ecto.Migration
+
+  def change do
+    create table(:votes) do
+      add :user_id, references(:users, [
+        column: :id,
+        on_delete: :nothing
+      ])
+      add :idea_id, references(:ideas, [
+        column: :id,
+        on_delete: :nothing
+      ])
+
+      timestamps()
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/web/channels/retro_channel.ex b/web/channels/retro_channel.ex
index 6e655beda..5f33a8e00 100644
--- a/web/channels/retro_channel.ex
+++ b/web/channels/retro_channel.ex
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 defmodule RemoteRetro.RetroChannel do
   use RemoteRetro.Web, :channel
 
-  alias RemoteRetro.{Presence, PresenceUtils, Idea, Emails, Mailer, Retro}
+  alias RemoteRetro.{Presence, PresenceUtils, Idea, Emails, Mailer, Retro, Vote}
 
   def join("retro:" <> retro_id, _, socket) do
     socket = assign(socket, :retro_id, retro_id)
@@ -76,11 +76,16 @@ defmodule RemoteRetro.RetroChannel do
     {:noreply, socket}
   end
 
-  def handle_in("submit_vote", %{"id" => id}, socket) do
-    query = from i in Idea, where: i.id == ^id
-    {_row_count, [updated_idea]} = Repo.update_all(query, [inc: [vote_count: 1]], returning: true)
+  def handle_in("submit_vote", %{"ideaId" => idea_id, "userId" => user_id}, socket) do
+    vote =
+      %Vote{
+        idea_id: idea_id,
+        user_id: user_id
+      }
+      |> Vote.changeset
+      |> Repo.insert!
 
-    broadcast! socket, "vote_submitted", updated_idea
+    broadcast! socket, "vote_submitted", vote
     {:noreply, socket}
   end
 
diff --git a/web/models/idea.ex b/web/models/idea.ex
index 57455ace2..327297892 100644
--- a/web/models/idea.ex
+++ b/web/models/idea.ex
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ defmodule RemoteRetro.Idea do
 
     belongs_to :retro, RemoteRetro.Retro, type: Ecto.UUID
     belongs_to :user, RemoteRetro.User
+    has_many :vote, RemoteRetro.Vote
 
     timestamps(type: :utc_datetime)
   end
diff --git a/web/models/user.ex b/web/models/user.ex
index 4d1d1d5a7..6d0fbd795 100644
--- a/web/models/user.ex
+++ b/web/models/user.ex
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ defmodule RemoteRetro.User do
     field :last_login, Ecto.DateTime
 
     has_many :participations, RemoteRetro.Participation
+    has_many :votes, RemoteRetro.Vote
 
     timestamps(type: :utc_datetime)
   end
diff --git a/web/models/vote.ex b/web/models/vote.ex
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9d9890e15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/models/vote.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+defmodule RemoteRetro.Vote do
+  use RemoteRetro.Web, :model
+
+  @derive {Poison.Encoder, except: [:__meta__]}
+  schema "votes" do
+    belongs_to :user, RemoteRetro.User
+    belongs_to :idea, RemoteRetro.Idea
+
+    timestamps(type: :utc_datetime)
+  end
+
+  @required_fields [:user_id, :idea_id]
+
+  def changeset(struct, params \\ %{}) do
+    struct
+    |> cast(params, @required_fields)
+    |> validate_required(@required_fields)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/web/static/js/components/idea_controls.jsx b/web/static/js/components/idea_controls.jsx
index a4e08d70c..c195d93f0 100644
--- a/web/static/js/components/idea_controls.jsx
+++ b/web/static/js/components/idea_controls.jsx
@@ -24,7 +24,11 @@ const IdeaControls = props => {
   function renderIcons() {
     if (stage !== "idea-generation" && category !== "action-item") {
       return (
-        <VoteCounter retroChannel={retroChannel} idea={idea} />
+        <VoteCounter
+          retroChannel={retroChannel}
+          idea={idea}
+          currentUser={currentUser}
+        />
       )
     }
     if (currentUser.is_facilitator) {
diff --git a/web/static/js/components/vote_counter.jsx b/web/static/js/components/vote_counter.jsx
index add049014..10f798262 100644
--- a/web/static/js/components/vote_counter.jsx
+++ b/web/static/js/components/vote_counter.jsx
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ class VoteCounter extends React.Component {
   }
 
   handleClick() {
-    const { idea, retroChannel } = this.props
-    retroChannel.push("submit_vote", { id: idea.id })
+    const { idea, retroChannel, currentUser } = this.props
+    retroChannel.push("submit_vote", { ideaId: idea.id, userId: currentUser.id })
   }
 
   render() {
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ class VoteCounter extends React.Component {
 VoteCounter.propTypes = {
   retroChannel: AppPropTypes.retroChannel.isRequired,
   idea: AppPropTypes.idea.isRequired,
+  currentUser: AppPropTypes.user.isRequired,
 }
 
 export default VoteCounter
diff --git a/web/static/js/reducers/ideas.js b/web/static/js/reducers/ideas.js
index 20a6de6f7..2d4eb07a4 100644
--- a/web/static/js/reducers/ideas.js
+++ b/web/static/js/reducers/ideas.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+// const updateIdea = state
+
 const ideas = (state = [], action) => {
   switch (action.type) {
     case "SET_INITIAL_STATE":
diff --git a/web/static/js/services/retro_channel.js b/web/static/js/services/retro_channel.js
index 358732d87..54b19b732 100644
--- a/web/static/js/services/retro_channel.js
+++ b/web/static/js/services/retro_channel.js
@@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ const applyListenerCallbacks = (retroChannel, store, actions) => {
     actions.deleteIdea(deletedIdea.id)
   })
 
-  retroChannel.on("vote_submitted", votedOnIdea => {
-    actions.updateIdea(votedOnIdea.id, { vote_count: votedOnIdea.vote_count })
+  retroChannel.on("vote_submitted", ideaId => {
+    // actions.updateIdea(votedOnIdea.id, { vote_count: votedOnIdea.vote_count })
+    console.log("in vote submitted", ideaId)
   })
 
   retroChannel.on("idea_highlighted", highlightedIdea => {