Washington, May 25 (IANS): Donald Trump will move closer to clinching the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday with an expected win in the crucial Washington primary election, CNN reported.

Trump became the party's presumptive nominee earlier this month with a decisive win in Indiana on May 3 that forced his remaining rivals, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Ohio Governor John Kasich out of the race and ended months of talk about the potential of a contested convention.

He now heads into the Washington primary 48 delegates shy of the 1,237 he needs to clinch the Republican nomination.

Forty-four delegates are at stake in Washington .

It will, however, leave him inches short of it with a slate of contests on June 7 in California, New Jersey, New Mexico, Montana and South Dakota sure to seal the deal.

Every registered Washington voter was mailed a primary ballot with both Democratic and Republican candidates on it.

The state's primary is open, which means voters are free to choose whichever party they want.

But they can only vote for a presidential candidate in one party's contest -- otherwise, their ballots will not be counted.