I think
the number of ways that n identical votes can be distibuted to k people (assuming that each person gets at least one vote = $$\binom{n+k-1}{n}$$
1. 4 students are running for club president in a club with 50 members. How many different vote counts are possible, if all 50 members are required to vote?
I am going to assume that everyone gets at least 1 vote.
(50+4-1)C50 = 53C50
$${\left({\frac{{\mathtt{53}}{!}}{{\mathtt{50}}{!}{\mathtt{\,\times\,}}({\mathtt{53}}{\mathtt{\,-\,}}{\mathtt{50}}){!}}}\right)} = {\mathtt{23\,426}}$$
2. 4 students are running for club president in a club with 50 members. How many different vote counts are possible, if members may choose not to vote?
I think this assumes that they all get at least 1 vote and at least 1 does not vote at all
(50+5-1)C50 = 54C50
$${\left({\frac{{\mathtt{54}}{!}}{{\mathtt{50}}{!}{\mathtt{\,\times\,}}({\mathtt{54}}{\mathtt{\,-\,}}{\mathtt{50}}){!}}}\right)} = {\mathtt{316\,251}}$$
If some people get no votes it would be higher - does it need to be worked out that way?
Ref:
http://web.eecs.utk.edu/~booth/311-04/homeworks/hw2sol.pdf Question 4
http://euclid.ucc.ie/pages/MATHENR/Exercises/CombinatoricsRepetitionsConditions.pdf