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# Validators

The Jackal Validators are secure web servers, dedicated machines that participate in the consensus protocol by
broadcasting cryptographic signatures, or votes, to agree upon the next block. Voting power is determined by the amount
of staking tokens delegated by non-validators and bonded as collateral to earn a reward. These non-validators, or
delegators, incur the risk of getting punished (slashed) if the delegate validator gets hacked or violates the protocol.

To set up a validator and become a contributing part of the network, read the installation
instructions [here](/docs/nodes/nodes/installation)


