One closely watched district will be the ninth congressional district. Joe Moakley, who represents that district, will be retiring. The district now stretches from Boston south to Taunton, but will undergo some boundary changes. Max Kennedy, who does not now live in the district, is a likely candidate.

“If Kennedy runs, he will not scare off any potential candidates that I know of,” said Association President Ralph White. “There are some strong Democratic office- holders in that district who would not shy away from taking Kennedy on in the primary.”

A drive to create an all-Boston district, backed by Republicans who hope to create an affluent suburban district that would back Republican candidates, probably won’t survive the Democrat-controlled Legislature. Mayor Thomas Menino, previously reported as wanting one Boston-only congressman, told members of the Redistricting Committee that the city is well-served by the current two members of Congress.

The census population and race numbers are an important starting point for lawmakers. But with plenty of information still to be gathered, and with heavy doses of political wrangling expected, they are many months from drawing new voting districts.

“This is a milestone in the process, but it’s still early in the process,” said state Senator Stanley Rosenberg, cochairman of the Redistricting Committee. “There are many different ways to draw up the maps.”