diff --git a/cmd/release/BUILD.bazel b/cmd/release/BUILD.bazel
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..569be9fbea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/release/BUILD.bazel
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_binary", "go_library")
+
+go_library(
+    name = "go_default_library",
+    srcs = ["main.go"],
+    importpath = "sigs.k8s.io/cluster-api-provider-aws/cmd/release",
+    visibility = ["//visibility:private"],
+)
+
+go_binary(
+    name = "release",
+    embed = [":go_default_library"],
+    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
+)
diff --git a/cmd/release/main.go b/cmd/release/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f6a80c65e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/release/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,274 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2019 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path"
+)
+
+/*
+required parameters
+
+https://help.github.com/en/articles/creating-a-personal-access-token-for-the-command-line
+github token for modifying release
+
+# dependencies
+* requires a build environment (make artifact-release must work)
+* github.com/itchio/gothub
+*/
+
+const (
+	// TODO(chuckha): figure this out based on directory name
+	repository = "cluster-api-provider-aws"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	var remote, user, version string
+
+	fs := flag.NewFlagSet("main", flag.ExitOnError)
+	fs.Usage = documentation
+	fs.StringVar(&remote, "remote", "origin", "name of the remote in local git")
+	fs.StringVar(&user, "user", "kubernetes-sigs", "the github user/organization of the repo to release a version to")
+
+	// TODO(chuckha): it would be ideal if we could release major/minor/patch and have it
+	// automatically bump the latest tag git finds
+	// until then, hard code it
+	fs.StringVar(&version, "version", "", "the version number, for example v0.2.0")
+	if err := fs.Parse(os.Args[1:]); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	required("version", version)
+
+	checkDependencies()
+
+	cfg := config{
+		version:     version,
+		artifactDir: "out",
+		artifacts: []string{
+			"cluster-api-provider-aws-examples.tar",
+			"clusterawsadm-darwin-amd64",
+			"clusterawsadm-linux-amd64",
+			"clusterctl-darwin-amd64",
+			"clusterctl-linux-amd64",
+		},
+	}
+
+	run := &runner{
+		releaser: gothubReleaser{
+			artifactsDir: cfg.artifactDir,
+			user:         user,
+			repository:   repository,
+		},
+		tagger: git{
+			repository: repository,
+			remote:     remote,
+		},
+		config: cfg,
+	}
+
+	if err := run.run(); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Println("The next steps are:")
+	fmt.Println()
+	// TODO(chuckha): automate writing the release notes
+	fmt.Println("- Write the release notes. It is a manual process")
+	// TODO(chuckha): something something docker container
+	fmt.Println("- push the container images")
+	// TODO(chuckha): send an email or at least print out the contents of an
+	// email to
+	fmt.Println("- Email kubernetes-dev@googlegroups.com to announce that a release happened")
+}
+
+func required(arg, val string) {
+	if val == "" {
+		fmt.Printf("%v is a required parameter\n", arg)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
+
+func checkDependencies() {
+	_, err := exec.LookPath("gothub")
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("Please install gothub:")
+		fmt.Println()
+		fmt.Println("    go get github.com/itchio/gothub")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+
+	if ght := os.Getenv("GITHUB_TOKEN"); len(ght) == 0 {
+		fmt.Println("Please set the GITHUB_TOKEN environment variable.")
+		fmt.Println("Read this guide for more information on creating Personal Access Tokens")
+		fmt.Println()
+		fmt.Println("https://help.github.com/en/articles/creating-a-personal-access-token-for-the-command-line")
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
+
+func documentation() {
+	fmt.Println(`
+This tool is designed to help automate the release process.
+
+Usage:
+
+	release [-remote <remote>] [-user <user>] -version <version>
+
+Options:
+
+	-remote
+		The local name of the remote repository.
+		The default is origin.
+
+	-user
+		The github username or organization of the repository to publish a release to.
+		The default is kubernetes-sigs.
+
+	-version
+		The name of the version to release.
+
+Examples:
+
+1.
+	origin is github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api-provider-aws
+	local master points to origin/master branch
+
+	To release:
+
+		./release -remote origin -version v1.1.1
+
+2.
+	origin is github.com/myuser/cluster-api-provider-aws
+	upstream is github.com/kubernetes-sigs/cluster-api-provider-aws
+	local master points to upstream/master branch
+
+	To release:
+
+		./release -remote upstream -version v1.1.1
+
+3.
+	To test release
+
+		./release -remote YOUR_FORK -user YOUR_GITHUB_USER_NAME -version v1.1.1`)
+}
+
+type config struct {
+	version     string
+	artifacts   []string
+	artifactDir string
+}
+
+type runner struct {
+	releaser releaser
+	tagger   tagger
+	config   config
+}
+
+func (r runner) run() error {
+	fmt.Print("tagging repository ")
+	if err := r.tagger.tag(r.config.version); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	fmt.Println("🐲")
+	fmt.Print("pushing tag ")
+	if err := r.tagger.pushTag(r.config.version); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	fmt.Println("🐲")
+	fmt.Print("drafting a release ")
+	if err := r.releaser.draft(r.config.version); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	fmt.Println("🐲")
+	for _, artifact := range r.config.artifacts {
+		fmt.Printf("uploading %q ", artifact)
+		if err := r.releaser.upload(r.config.version, artifact); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		fmt.Println("🐲")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+type releaser interface {
+	draft(string) error
+	upload(string, string) error
+}
+
+type gothubReleaser struct {
+	// github user or organization (kubernetes-sigs, heptiolabs, chuckha, etc)
+	user string
+	// repository is the name of the repository
+	repository string
+
+	artifactsDir string
+}
+
+func (g gothubReleaser) draft(version string) error {
+	cmd := exec.Command("gothub", "release", "--tag", version, "--user", g.user, "--repo", g.repository, "--draft")
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(string(out))
+	}
+	return err
+}
+func (g gothubReleaser) upload(version, file string) error {
+	cmd := exec.Command("gothub", "upload", "--tag", version, "--user", g.user, "--repo", g.repository, "--file", path.Join(g.artifactsDir, file), "--name", file)
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(string(out))
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+type tagger interface {
+	tag(string) error
+	pushTag(string) error
+}
+
+type git struct {
+	// repository is the name of the repository
+	repository string
+
+	// remote is the local name of the remote
+	remote string
+}
+
+func (g git) tag(version string) error {
+	cmd := exec.Command("git", "tag", "-s", "-m", fmt.Sprintf("A release of %q for version %q", g.repository, version), version)
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(string(out))
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func (g git) pushTag(version string) error {
+	// TODO(chuckha): this shouldn't exit if it fails because the tag already
+	cmd := exec.Command("git", "push", g.remote, version)
+	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(string(out))
+	}
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/docs/releasing.md b/docs/releasing.md
index 9fcf319c2a..95d99400ea 100644
--- a/docs/releasing.md
+++ b/docs/releasing.md
@@ -1,17 +1,25 @@
 # Release process
 
+## Semi-automatic
+
+1. make the release artifacts `make release-artifacts`
+2. Run the release tool found in `cmd/release`
+3. Pick up the manual steps starting with step 6
+
+## Manual
+
 1. Create a draft release in github
-3. Tag the repository and push the tag `git tag -s $VERSION `
-4. Run `make release-artifacts`
-5. Attach the tarball to the drafted release
-6. Attach `clusterawsadm` and `clusterctl` to the drafted release (for darwin
+2. Tag the repository and push the tag `git tag -s $VERSION `
+3. Run `make release-artifacts`
+4. Attach the tarball to the drafted release
+5. Attach `clusterawsadm` and `clusterctl` to the drafted release (for darwin
    and linux architectures)
-7. Write the release notes (see note below on release notes)
-8. Get someone with permission to copy the container image from your own
+6. Write the release notes (see note below on release notes)
+7. Get someone with permission to copy the container image from your own
    personal gcr registry to the production one, or have them build and push the
    container image themselves.
-9. Publish release
-10. Email `kubernetes-dev@googlegroups.com` to announce the release
+8. Publish release
+9. Email `kubernetes-dev@googlegroups.com` to announce the release
 
 ## Expected artifacts