According to a release from the organisers of the event, 87 journalists and 206 bloggers have been entered for the prestigious prize, along with a record-equalling 212 books.
The awards, which offer a Journalism Prize, Blog Prize and Book Prize will now whittle entrants down to longlists to be announced on 30 March.
Shortlists will be announced on 26 April and the winners, who will each receive £3,000, will be revealed at an awards ceremony in Westminster on 18 May.
This year's event has a poverty theme, marking the 75th anniversary of George Orwell's journey to Wigan Pier, with each of his diary entries from the journey to be published on a blog by the Orwell Prize 75 years after they were first written.
The full list of entrants for each prize can be found on the Orwell Prize website.
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