Boston needs voters – citizens, non-citizens, it doesn’t matter to the City Council. Boosting low-turnout districts on election day is all that matters.

That’s the backstory to yesterday’s passage of a measure granting immigrants with “legal status,” but not full citizenship the right to vote in local elections.

As the Herald reported, Councilor Kendra Lara put forward a hearing order on the issue last month. Lara asserted that immigrants with “legal status” constitute more than 28% of the city population, pay on average $2.3 billion in taxes annually, and hold roughly $6 billion in “collective spending power.”

“They’re not able to participate in the electoral process, in what I believe is a violation of one of our foundational American principles,” Lara said.

Spending power equaling voting rights isn’t a foundational American principle. Citizenship conferring certain rights, include the right to vote, is.

Legal status refers to an immigrant who has been lawfully admitted for permanent or temporary residence in the U.S., as in a green card holder. It’s an important step on the path to citizenship, but it’s just that – a step.

And citizenship is well worth pursuing: citizens can vote in federal elections, are protected from deportation, have full access to federal benefits, and their children will become citizens as well.

If politicians are really keen on improving the lives of their constituents, including immigrants, wouldn’t they support them gaining access to the benefits of full citizenship?

Councilor Ricardo Arroyo said the measure could provide a boost to the low voter turnout numbers seen in the city’s local elections.

According to unofficial results from the Election Department, voter turnout was just 18.9% in November’s election, which included Boston City Council races.

One way to address that dismal turnout number is to course-correct candidates’ engagement with voters, amp up education on the issues and basic voting protocols, and brainstorm new ways to get voter registration top of mind with constituents. An 18.9% turnout does not speak to robust candidate outreach.

The other way is to pad the polls with new voters, even if they wouldn’t be allowed to vote because of their non-citizen status elsewhere.

“By moving this home rule petition forward, Boston can begin the process of making good on our promise to build a city that is for everyone,” said Lara.

But legal immigrants aren’t just affected by the decisions made in Boston, they are also have a stake in the game at the state and national level. They still wouldn’t be able to vote for governor or president or senator without being a citizen. What happens if they vote in a federal election, believing they have the right to do so?

Veronica Serrato, an immigration attorney and executive director of Project Citizenship, stated, according to Councilor-at-Large Michael Flaherty, that non-citizens who mistakenly voted in state or federal elections “seriously jeopardize their opportunity to become a legal citizen.”

Leaders should want to support legal immigrants on their path to full citizenship, not throw out spike strips.

Which begs the question: is this measure for the benefit of legal immigrants, or Boston politicians looking to boost their voting blocs?

Editorial cartoon by Chip Bok (Creators Syndicate)