The awards, which this year have a poverty theme, recognise the work of political authors, journalists and bloggers.
A total of 15 journalists, rather than the usual 12, were announced in the journalism prize longlist.
The prize is being judged by Martin Bright, political editor of the Jewish Chronicle and founder and chief executive of New Deal of the Mind, as well as Michela Wrong, a journalist and author whose three books have all been previously shortlisted for the Orwell Prize.
Within the journalism longlist Amelia Gentleman appears for a second consecutive year, after making last year's shortlist, while Jonathan Steele also makes a reappearance having been longlisted in 2009.
"Some of these journalists show us the hidden corners of Britain and the world; some of the writing is razor sharp indictment; many of the journalists in many different ways are intrepid," director of the prize, Jean Seaton, said in a release.
"They all represent different strands of Orwell's legacy."
In total 22 bloggers made the longlist in the blogs category from 205 entries, including journalists, a politician and a prisoner. The prize is judged by David Allen Green, shortlisted for the Blog Prize last year as Jack of Kent and Gaby Hinsliff, journalist and blogger, former political editor of the Observer.
Entrants making a reappearance in the awards include Andrew Sparrow and Paul Mason, both shortlisted for the first Orwell blog prize in 2009; David Osler who was longlisted last year; Heresiarch, longlisted in 2009 and Laurie Penny, shortlisted last year.
A total of 18 entries made the longlist for the books prize, judged by Jim Naughtie, presenter of BBC Radio 4's Today and Bookclub programmes, Ursula Owen, founder director of Virago Press and former editor of Index on Censorship, and Will Skidelsky, books editor of the Observer.
Shortlists for the Orwell Prize will be announced on 26 April with the final winners of each prize, worth £3000, to be revealed at a ceremony in Westminster on 18 May.
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