[jQuery] VALIDATION not validating when submit button clicked....

Here is my handler:
submitHandler: function(form) {
alert('I CANT GET THIS TO TRIGGER');
},
Here is my button:
<input class="submit" type="submit" id="register" value="Register">
How do i trigger a validate when the submit button is clicked?
All of my validations work while I am working with the form but the
button does zilch.